Day 4 Lichfield

Contempories of John Wesley

We joined the congregation of Lichfield Cathedral for Choral Eucharist this morning. The text came from John 15:9, and the service began with Charles Wesley's hymn "Love Divine". It took me back to Westbury Park and Choral Eucharist at St Albans, with Nigel Walton the choir master trying to persuade me to sing the relevant parts. A far cry from Sheldon Rd style of worship.

Dr Johnson House

I spy!

A quick visit to Nero for coffee then a visit to the birth place of Samuel Johnson, a contemporary of John Wesley and a leading figure in the 18th century as a literary giant, who published his Dictionary of the English Language in 1755. He was a great friend of the actor David Garrick who became the greatest actor of the age. In 1756 Garrick built a house by the Thames at Hampton with his own mini theatre - "The Temple" in honour of William Shakespeare, just down the road from Mother in Laws house where Janet is a guide.

The house is not only a Museum but a second hand bookshop - needless to say it was "home from home" to me as one who used to run a bookshop in London!

Next stop was nearer the Cathedral a visit to the house of a Dr Erasmus Darwin, the grandfather of Charles. In addition to his work as a doctor, Erasmus wrote several medical and scientific books, as well as three great poems which made him one of the most popular poets of his day. In 1769 he developed a theory of biological evolution, a century before his grandson published his, "Origin of the Species". He was also an inventor, among other things developing a new steering system for (horse &) carriages to prevent them from overturning when cornering - His idea is still used in motor vehicles today.

The history of Lichfield starts in the nearby settlement of Letocetum, 47BC - 48AD, today only the ruins of a villa stand. In 1930 excavations a stone was found embedded in one of the buildings that had a cross carved into it and a small bronze bowl, on which a Chi-Rho symbol was embossed. (Chi-Rho is a monogram for "Christ") at some point some of the inhabitants were Christians. Lichfield also boasts one of the oldest Christian burial sites in England.

During the 7th Century Lichfield emerged as a centre for Christian Pilgrimage due to a young monk called Chad who had studied at Lindisfarne. Chad was a humble and popular man, known for his teaching skills whist he travelled around the area. Chad was destined to become both Bishop and saint. Chad died during an outbreak of the plague a few days after a vision foretelling his imminent death.  Lichfield's first Cathedral contained a wooden shine containing Chad's bones and thus ensured that Litchfield became a centre of pilgrimage. The current Gothic Cathedral was built on the same site from 1195 - 1330. The houses in Cathedral Close built in 12th century were provided with piped water from a water supply 1 mile from the town and one of the earliest piped water systems in the country.. The water came to a conduit in the Close that still exists today and is known as "Moses" water. The lead pipes stopped being used after 800 years in the 1960's!
Neither the Reformation or the Civil war effected Lichfield. The Cathedral had no monastery attached so didn't need to be "refounded" in the aftermath of the Dissolution of the Monasteries.

Our final visit in the afternoon was to "Castle Ring" about 3 miles from the campsite. A large tiered Iron Age Hill Fort about 2500 years old, one of seven such forts in Staffordshire. The fort has a raised embankment and has the remains of the footings of a 12th century Medieval hunting lodge. Due to the Ring being kept clear of trees for the past 2,000 years the site is home to various rare species,including the lesser known yellow Beacon duck, usually only found in Wiltshire!

The Rare Beacon Duck