“The Norman Cathedral of York was built in 1080, and that of Lichfield at an uncertain date. Between 1154-1181, Archbishop Roger substituted for the original chancel at York a long, square-ended choir, with the aisle carried behind the end. At Lichfield, during the same period, the large chapel was built at the end of the Norman apse; and about the beginning of the Thirteenth Century the whole Norman eastern termination was, as at York, replaced by a long, square-ended choir with the low aisles behind. Next, at York the Norman transepts were rebuilt in Early English: the south transept, 1230-1241; followed by the north transept, 1241-1260. Also at Lichfield the Norman transepts were rebuilt in Early English, beginning with the south and ending with the north. The Early English work of this cathedral is shown by the licenses to dig stone to have been in progress in 1235 and 1238. York nave and Lichfield were next rebuilt in Early Decorated—the first in 1291-1324. Lastly, at Lichfield, the elongation of the eastern part was begun at the extreme east, beyond the existing choir by the Lady-chapel, in late Decorated under Bishop Langton, 1296-1321, and followed by taking down the choir, and continuing the same work on its site westward. The works at York followed in the same order, but forty or fifty years later, by first erecting the presbytery outside the existing choir, and then taking down the latter and continuing the work of the presbytery to form the new choir. The plans of the two cathedrals rival each other in the simplicity of their proportions.”—(W.)
Nothing definite is known of the early history of this Cathedral, as all records were destroyed during the Civil Wars. In all probability there was the same old story of a Saxon church in the Seventh Century succeeded by several other churches until the Norman Cathedral was built, probably like Peterborough, only smaller.
This, of course, fell a victim to the change of fashion, and was pulled down gradually as the new building—the one we know to-day—arose. The first thing that was done was the building of a new choir (Early English) from the central tower to the seventh bay of the present choir. Some of this was destroyed at a later period. The sacristy and adjoining room were also built. Then, about 1220, the south transept was begun, then the nave, north transept and west front, with the two towers.
Walter de Langton (1296-1321) began the Lady-Chapel; and while this was being built the Early English presbytery was pulled down and rebuilt in the Decorated style, to be uniform with the Lady-Chapel. The old clerestory of the choir was also rebuilt in the same style. Walter de Langton also built the Bishop’s Palace, which was destroyed in 1643, bridged the Cathedral Pool, and erected a splendid shrine to St. Chad, which cost £2,000. This stood behind the high altar in the eastern bay of the retro-choir, with an altar to this saint on its west.
St. Chad, or Ceadda (669-672), was the patron saint of Lichfield, who, when Bishop of Mercia, chose Lichfield as his seat and thus founded the diocese; and he built a small church near St. Chad’s Well. His service was short and he died in 672.
Miracles were immediately performed at his shrine in Stowe Church; but his remains were removed to the Cathedral. St. Chad’s Head was placed in a separate chapel ([see page 213]).
When Henry VIII. despoiled the shrine he found a great horde of treasures—jewels, golden and silver crosses, chalices, maces, and copes, and other vestments had accumulated in great number. In the Fourteenth Century a document mentions “the head of Blessed Chad, in a certain painted wooden case; also an arm of Blessed Chad; also bones of the said saint in a certain portable shrine.”
Lichfield suffered greatly during the Civil Wars. The Royalists hoisted the king’s flag on the central steeple and defied the Roundheads led by Lord Brooke. The Cathedral was besieged in March, 1643; and on the second day of that month, which happened to be St. Chad’s Day, Lord Brooke was killed by a shot fired by a son of Sir Richard Dyott, called “Dumb Dyott,” because he was deaf and dumb. This was regarded as a miracle. A contemporary letter notes:
“We have had the honour in these parts to bring my Lord Brooke to a quiet condition. That enemy of our Church (March 2) was slain in his quarrel against our Church, by the God of our Church, with a shot out of the Cathedral, by a bullet made of Church lead, through the mouth which reviled our Church; and (if this be worth your reading) this Cathedral was dedicated to the memory of an old Saxon holy man (called Ceadda, commonly Chad); the blow of death came from St. Chad’s Church upon St. Chad’s Day.”
The Cathedral remained in a ruinous condition for a year or more after the Restoration. Then Bishop Hackett (1661-1671) went to work to clear away the rubbish and make repairs. In eight years’ time the Cathedral was ready for a new dedication.