Exploring Lichfield Cathedral

Despite only living nine miles away, until last Wednesday I'd never set foot in Lichfield Cathedral, the only medieval three-spired Cathedral in the UK. 

Although the building standing today only (!) dates back the early 13th Century, a cathedral has stood in the centre of Lichfield since 700AD. It was severely destroyed during the Civil War (1643 - 1645), when the citizens took Parliament's side and, although its restoration started in 1660, it wasn't until the 19th Century that it was finally completed, led by the celebrated Victorian Gothic architect, George Gilbert Scott (who also designed some of the most iconic buildings in my favourite city in the world, Mumbai).

I've been an atheist forever and I don't visit cathedrals to bother god, its the amazing talent of mankind that draws me in. 

Ninument to Archdeacon Moore (d. 1879)

Bishop de Langton effigy (d. 1321)

The Sleeping Children (1817) depicts two young sisters, Ellen-Jane died when her nightdress caught on fire and Marianne, died from illness a year later. 

During the Civil War all of the stained glass was destroyed. In spite of this the windows of the Lady Chapel contain some of the finest medieval Flemish painted glass in existence. Dating from the 1530s, it came from Herkenrode Abbey near Liège, Belgium, in 1803 after the abbey was dissolved by Revolutionary France in 1795. 

The beautiful floor tiles, inspired by Mediaeval designs were designed by Gilbert Scott and made by local Staffordshire ceramics firm, Minton. 

The Cathedral Choir, built around 1200AD

The Nave

The High Altar

I recognised Jacob Epstein's work straightaway, his widow, Kathleen Garman, bequeathed several pieces of his work to the people of Walsall and they've been part of our lives for decades. 

Down by the Minster Pool we spotted the Minster Heron, a local celebrity.

He's such a well known sight in Lichfield, he's even been immortalised on the Lichfield Mural, created by international artist Nacho Welles. 

Along with the blind poet, Priscilla Pointon (1740 - 1794)

The actor, David Garrick (1717 - 1779) who wrote, produced and influenced all aspects of Europen theatre parctice during the 18th Century. 

Samuel (or Doctor) Johnson (1709 - 1784), the writer and essayist. 

 

And Dr Johnson's beloved former slave, Francis Barber (1742 - 1801) who, on Johnson's death was named as his residual heir and was awarded £70 per annum (the equivalent today of £11,000) as well as being bequeathed Johnson's papers and gold watch. Francis opened a draper's shop in the city, married a local woman and acted as Johnson's assistant, revising his famous Dictionary of the English Language and other works. The Midlands - proudly multicultural for centuries!!

Although there's lots of charity shops in Lichfield there wasn't much in the way of clothing to interest us (mostly decent quality but all very muted and conservative) but I was delighted to spot this beautiful William Morris hardback book, published to accompany the 1996 V&A exhibition, in Oxfam. The fellow members of one of my favourite Facebook groups, The William Morris Appreciation Society were very impressed with my £4.99 purchase and several commented on my dress fabric, too. Its from Samuel Sherman's Clothes label has got a very trippy Arts & Crafts meets the 1970s vibe to it and was a recent Vinted find. Here it is in action (I ended up leaving my hat in the car!)

 

@vixbrearley Feeling the Autumn vibes in my latest Vinted find, this amazing Samuel Sherman maxi.#over50women #vintagestyle #1970saesthetic #secondhandstyle Thanks @kwood1963 ♬ Do It Again - Steely Dan

Continuing with the cultural theme - we saw Paul Thomas Anderson's One Battle After Another at Walsall Light last week and it blew us away. Despite it being almost three hours long, the time flew. Described as a thrillingly helter-skelter counterculture caper, its a rip-roaring epic of good guys vs the bad ones (depending, of course, on where your political leanings lie) and has the best cinematic car chase I've ever seen in my entire life - to be honest, I've never cared for car chases until I saw this one, my stomach is still doing somersaults a week later! 

We've also binge-watched Riot Women on the BBC. As you'd expect from Sally "Happy Valley" Wainwright, this is no cosy, cocoa and biscuits drama - it'll make you laugh, cry and feel like kicking the telly in utter rage in equal parts, basically, it's f*cking marvellous. 

Shopping-wise, we were recently offered some vintage clothes which had been loved, cared for and stored for many years...

Wow! 1970s maxi dresses by Susan Small and Simon Massey, 1960s mini dresses by Janice Wainwright & Dorothy Perkins, 1970s 100% cashmere knitwear from Jaeger, 1960s & 1970s & 1980s silk, cotton and Lurex, dagger collar & ruffled blouses, cocktail tops and vests by Feminella, Frank Usher, St Michael, Jaeger & Elsie Whiteley, a couple of 1960s baby doll nighties, 1980s pixie boots, Bally cream leather 1960s go-go boots, an Italian silk scarf & a 1960s patent handbag. 

Our bedroom continues to evolve. The exisiting patchwork curtains needed reparing so I took them down and swapped them with the pair hanging in the guest bedroom (also made by me) and the £2 antique Indian fretwork shelf we found in a local charity shop a fortnight ago is in situ, home to an ancient bronze Buddha I bought from the infamous Anjuna Flea market in Goa over 25 years ago. 

This isn't a genuine Mucha wall plaque, it's a reproduction made under licence and sold through Past Times back in the 1990s (I absolutely loved that shop). If you want one, Vinterior are selling the same one for £220 - I paid £4!!

Another new addition to the bedroom is this trio of flying ceramic bluebirds - mine for £3!

This papier mache peacock is another Lichfield charity shop purchase, he was £1 - I'm sure you already know that I'm mad about peacocks! 

Thanks for reading. I'm off to Birmingham with Liz tomorrow, I'll be back with photos very soon.