Bell's Cathedrals: The Cathedral Church of Lichfield: A Description of Its Fabric and A Brief History of the Espicopal SeeClifton, A. B.
History
Bell's Cathedrals: The Cathedral Church of Lichfield: A Description of Its Fabric and A Brief History of the Espicopal See
Clifton, A. B.
Lichfield Cathedral
No historical document exists that can apply to the building of the nave;
but that must have come next, and have been in progress almost before the
north transept could have been finished. The west front was commenced
somewhere about the beginning of the last quarter of the thirteenth
century, and, including the two towers which form such an important part
of it, must have taken a very long time to complete. From the thorough
examination made when the recent restorations were in progress, it was
decided that these towers were built in three distinct stages--the lowest,
which just included the row of kings, being assigned to about 1280; the
next stage to 1300; and the upper part, including the belfry windows,
to about 1330, while the spires were not finished till some time after.
Walter de Langton became bishop in 1296, and of him it is distinctly
recorded that he commenced the Lady Chapel. From an old register in the
Salt Library at Stafford, it appears that Langton left £80, 13s. 3d. for
the building of the chapel. He died in 1321. And, in 1323, there is
another entry showing that the chapter came to some agreement with his
executor by which each party should pay half the cost of finding a quarry
for the stone; so that it does not appear that building operations had
proceeded very far at his death. It is interesting to note, as the same
source shows us, that the money left by the bishop was partly on loan
to King Edward II. for the expenses of his wars with Scotland, which
wars had ended so disastrously at Bannockburn. In the following reign,
Edward III. was asked by the chapter to repay what was still owing of
this money.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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