| Summary : Cathedral on the site of a Saxon Cathedral which was built and conscrated in 700AD, replacing the earlier cathedral built by St Chad at Stow. Cathedral church. Early 13th century west choir arcade and aisles, chapter house and chapel, transepts and crossing tower; circa 1280 nave, aisles and west towers; 1300-50 Lady Chapel and east choir arcade and aisles, and choir clerestory. Major restorations of 1660s, 1788-95 continued by Joseph Potter Senior of Lichfield, 1850s by S Smirke, and 1856-78 by Sir Gilbert Scott, continued by John Oldrid Scott until 1905. Ashlar with graduated slate roofs. Cruciform plan, 3-bay Lady Chapel, 8-bay choir with aisles, chapter house to north with library above and consistory court to south with chapel of St Chad's Head above, crossing steeple and 3-bay transepts with east chapels, 8-bay nave with aisles and 2 west steeples. |
More information : (SK 11560977) St Mary and St Chad's Cathedral (NAT) (1)
The Cathedral of St Mary and St Chad is built on the site of the
Saxon Cathedral church built by Bishop Headda and consecrated
in 700 AD, which was replaced after the Norman Conquest (2).
Building is known to have taken place during 1085 to 1126 AD.
The Norman cathedral was probably completed by Bishop
Clinton shortly before 1140 AD. However, little definite is known
of the cathedral buildings before the complete rebuilding
in the 13th century (2) (see plan 4). The cathedral was much
damaged during the Civil War, restoration work commencing in
1661, lasting until 1669. Further alteration, restoration and
renovations have taken place in the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. (2-5)
SK 115097. A burial, possibly early 13th century, was discovered
in the south wall of the undercroft to the St Chad's Head Chapel
at Lichfield Cathedral. During construction of the chapel in the
13th century provision was made for the incorporation of a massive
sandstone coffin in the south wall of the east bay, circa 1.5m.
above ground level. This would suggest that the burial is that of
the founder, possibly an early 13th century dean. (6)
(SK 11560977). Cathedral Church of St Chad and St Mary,
13th-14th century Nave, Presbytery, Lady Chapel, Chapter House
etc., 16th century Flemish Herckenrode windows. Restored by Scott,
1856. (7-9)
Excavation within the Gothic nave of the cathedral in 2003 revealed 3 phases of masonry building ante-dating the Norman period. within this was a timber-lined pit, possibly a crypt. Within the pit was found a slab of Ancaster limestone carved with a relief of an angel. This is believed to be of Gabriel, once formed part of an Annunciation scene, and dates to the late 8th-early 9th centuries CE. (10) |