Church of St Chad, Lichfield facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Church of St Chad, Lichfield |
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| 52°41′22″N 1°49′15″W / 52.689373°N 1.820925°W | |
| Location | Lichfield, Staffordshire |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Website | The Church of St Chad |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade II* |
| Designated | 05.02.1952 |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Early English, Gothic |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Sandstone & Brick |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Lichfield |
| Diocese | Lichfield |
| Province | Canterbury |
The Church of St Chad is an old church in Lichfield, Staffordshire, in the United Kingdom. It's a special building, listed as Grade II*, which means it's historically important. You can find it north of Stowe Pool on St Chad's Road. The church building you see today is from the 12th century, but it's been fixed up and added to many times over the years.
Contents
History of St Chad's Church
Long ago, in 669 CE, a holy man named St Chad came to Lichfield. He wanted to live a quiet life and spent time as a hermit in a small hut near a spring. From this spot, he would teach people and baptize them in the spring water. People believe that St Chad's hut and spring were located right where the churchyard is today.
Early Beginnings: Saxon Times
Around the time of St Chad, a monastery (a place where monks live) was built near the spring. It was called the "station of St Chad." Sadly, nothing from this original Saxon monastery remains today.
Building the Stone Church: 12th Century
In the 12th century, the monastery was rebuilt as a stone church. It had a main hall (called a nave), two side sections (aisles), and a special area for the altar (chancel). The main entrance was where the tower now stands. Some of the oldest parts you can still see are the rounded arches of the Norman windows in the south aisle.
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Changes in the 13th and 14th Centuries
During the 13th century, the church got a new roof. The old Norman windows were replaced with pointed windows, which are typical of the Early English Period style. The south side of the church, with its five sections and eight-sided pillars, also dates from this time, as do the chancel and the west doorway.
The tall tower on the west side was added in the 14th century to hold the church bells. The beautiful large window at the east end of the chancel, with its fancy stone patterns, was also built then. The font, used for baptisms, is from this period and is still in use today.
In 1323, an Irish traveler named Symon Semeonis visited the church on his way to the Holy Land. He wrote that it was "a most beautiful church in honour of St. Chad, with most lofty stone towers, and splendidly adorned with pictures, sculptures, and other ecclesiastical ornaments."
Troubled Times: Reformation and Civil War
During the Reformation, many of the church's valuable items were taken away. Later, during the English Civil War, soldiers used the church. It was badly damaged, and the roof had to be rebuilt. At this time, the red brick section above the main windows (called a clerestory) was added. The church's single roof was replaced with three separate roofs.
Victorian Restorations: 19th Century
In 1840, the north aisle was taken down and rebuilt in a Victorian Gothic style. More restoration work happened in 1862, especially in the chancel. A room for the clergy (vestry) was added to the north side, and a porch was built on the south side. The windows and stained glass in the chancel were also repaired. The east end of the south aisle you see today was built during this time.
St Chad's Well: A Special Spring
St Chad's Well is in the churchyard, to the north-west of the church. It's built over a sacred spring where St Chad is said to have prayed, baptized people, and helped heal them. By the 16th century, it had become a popular place for people to visit on pilgrimages.
In the 1830s, a local doctor named James Rawson helped improve the water supply. An ornate stone structure was built over the well. When the water started to dry up in the 1920s, the well was lined with brick, and a pump was added. The old stone structure was removed in the 1950s and replaced with the simple wooden structure and tiled roof you see today.
The well is still a popular spot for both Anglicans and Catholics. Every year on Maundy Thursday, it is traditionally decorated with flowers and greenery in a special ceremony. The vines growing on the canopy are a Christian symbol representing the wine used in the Eucharist.
Other Interesting Features
Church Memorials
Inside the church, you'll find memorials to important people. In the south wall of the chancel, there are two memorials connected to Samuel Johnson, a famous writer. One is for Lucy Porter (who died in 1786), who was Dr. Johnson's stepdaughter. Below it is a memorial for Catherine Chambers (who died in 1767), a servant to Dr. Johnson's family. This memorial was put up in 1910 after their tombs were found during work on the chancel floor.
A statue of St Chad was placed over the south porch in 1930. It was put there by Lady Blomefield to remember her husband, Sir Thomas Blomefield (who died in 1928). In 1949, a screen was put across the tower arch to remember Alderman J. R. Deacon (who died in 1942), placed there by his wife.
The east end of the south aisle was made into a special area called a Lady Chapel in 1952. It serves as a memorial to those who died in the Second World War.
Church Bells
St Chad's Church has four bells in its tower. Three of these bells are very old, dating back to the 17th century. The fourth bell is even older, with an inscription from 1255! During the Reformation, records show that St Chad's had "three bells and a sanctus bell."
Gallery
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St Chad's Well as seen today with the wooden structure over it built in the 1950s
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The trefoil-headed south door
See also
- Grade II* listed buildings in Lichfield (district)
- Listed buildings in Lichfield
- St Chad
- Holy Well
