Bell's Cathedrals: The Cathedral Church of Lichfield / A Description of Its Fabric and A Brief History of the Espicopal See

by A. B. Clifton

For a pair of organs broke in pieces	£200
The destruction of the vicars' seats	600
The defacing of Lord Paget's tomb, which was executed in Italy	700

But enough has been said to show that the cathedral was in a most ruinous state, and so it remained until a twelvemonth after the Restoration. From a manuscript in the Ashmolean Collection at Oxford, it appears that Elias Ashmole had an interview with the king in June 1660 as to the condition of the cathedral. The memorandum reads: "16 June 1660. This morning Mr Rawlins of Lichfield tould me that the Clearke Viccars of the Cathedrall Church had entered the Chapter-house and there said service; and this when the Vestry was the only place in the Church yt had a roof to shelter them. This very afternoon, I, having an opportunity to waite on the Kg, and being in his Closet, tould him that the aforesaid remaining number of poore Clearks Vicarrs had assembled in the aforesaid place, and there kept their Canonicall houres and prayd for his Maty, which he was pleased to heare. Upon further discourse, I acquainted him with the desolacion of the place, which he much lamented, and said he had been informed that Winchestre Cathedrall had exceedingly suffred in these late tymes, and that they had turnd it into Brewhouses, Malt-houses, etc." And again, on "July 18, 1660, Mr Dugdale moved Dr Sheldon to become an instrument for the repair of Lichfield Cathedral; and proposed that the prebends, etc., that were admitted should part with one-half of their profits towards the repair of the fabrick, which would be no great burden to them; and by this example the gentry would be invited to join with them in some considerable contribution. N.B.—I find this method succeeded accordingly."

The see was vacant for nearly a year after the Restoration, as Bishop Frewen, who had been appointed to the see by Charles I., was almost at once made Archbishop of York. At last, in December 1661, John Hacket, Doctor of Divinity of Trinity College, Cambridge, was appointed, and he at once set himself to the repair of the dilapidated cathedral; on the very morning of his arrival at Lichfield he is said to have set his carriage-horses and servants to the work of clearing out the rubbish, and with his own hands to have set them an example at the start. The work to be done must have appeared to be almost impossible of completion, for the central spire was still lying in ruins over the chapter-house and choir, the roof was broken in, and the pavements completely destroyed: everything was ruinous, for the Parliamentary folk had during the Common-wealth seized all materials which seemed to be of use for the repair of the dwelling-houses in the close and neighbourhood. However, the work progressed; the bishop was so energetic that he was able to collect in the surrounding country about £8000, and so generous that he subscribed himself a sum of £1683, 12s.: and in eight years he succeeded in restoring the beauty of the cathedral.

The service at which it was re-consecrated was of great solemnity and ceremony: "His lordship, being arrayed in his episcopal vestments, attended by the dean, dignitaries, prebendaries, and other members of the Church, accompanied by many of the nobility and gentry, the bailiffs, citizens, and other public officers of the city and county of Lichfield, with an immense concourse of people, entered at the great west doors of the Cathedral. The vicars, choristers, etc., first walked up the south aisle of the Church, where the bishop with a loud voice repeated the first verse of the 144th psalm. Afterwards the whole choir alternately sang the psalm to the organ. In the same order they proceeded to the north aisle. The bishop sang the 100th psalm, which was repeated by the whole company. Then the train passed to the body of the Church, where the bishop began the 102nd psalm, which when the vicars choral had concluded, he commanded the doors of the choir to be opened, and in the same form, first encompassed the south side. The bishop began the first verse of the 122nd psalm; the company finished it, and with the like ceremony proceeded to the north side, and sang the 131st psalm." The procession over, the bishop knelt down in the centre of the choir and prayed silently; and then with a loud voice called on all the people to join with him in the Lord's Prayer, which was followed by other prayers suitable to the occasion. He then pronounced a solemn benediction on the act in which they were engaged, and upon all that were present. The usual service of morning prayer followed, with two special anthems, and a collection—not for the cathedral—but for the poor of the parish. The bishop also gave three magnificent banquets—to the cathedral clergy, to the nobility of the neighbourhood, and to the principal citizens of the city.

Thus concluded the ceremony of re-consecration, a work which left the cathedral, not, unhappily, as it was when the first siege took place, but still a very beautiful edifice, with more of the Perpendicular style about the windows than previously, and with grievous signs here and there of the terrible misfortunes it had weathered. Sir Christopher Wren is said to have designed the new central spire, and to have acted as architect to the re-builders; but this is almost certainly not the case: his advice may have been asked, but probably at the most he gave it with regard to rich altar-piece in the Corinthian style which was erected in front of the old screen behind the high altar. At any rate, his signature appears on one of the sixteen papers on this matter still preserved among the muniments of the cathedral.

The king gave 200 fair timber trees out of Needwood forest, and his brother, the Duke of York, afterwards King James II., gave the money for the tracery of the great west window. This window remained until the recent alterations, when it was replaced by one more in accordance with the original thirteenth century style. The Duke of York's window, with its ill-proportioned geometrical tracery, need not be regretted any more than the removal of the heroic statue of his Majesty King Charles II., which occupied the central niche above it. The statue was principally remarkable for its ugliness, and for the history of the stonemason who hewed it; he afterwards married a rich wife, and finally arrived at the dignity of knighthood. Bishop Hacket adorned the church with new stalls and with an organ which cost £600; and he also made arrangements for new bells worthy of the cathedral. He ordered six, and three of them were delivered in his life-time. Only one—the tenor bell—however, was hung in time for the good bishop to hear it. His biographer, Dr Plume, says: "The first time it was rung, the bishop was very weak; yet he went out of his bed-chamber into the next room to hear it: he seemed well pleased with the sound, and blessed God, who had favoured him with life to hear it; but at the same time observed that it would be his passing-bell, and retiring into his chamber,

he never left it till he was carried to his grave." He died in October 1670.