I love this cathedral. It is the right side of awe inspiring whilst still being welcoming, which is a hard feat to achieve. There is so much to see in all the different areas, from the original uncovered paintings on parts of the walls, the 'Gabriel' from St Chad's tomb to trying to search for the green men everywhere! I think we've found 3 but I'm told that there are lots of them! The hirkenrode window is missing at the moment, in for restoration, but actually it allows you to see that end of the cathedral in a different light, literally! So not necessarily a bad thing. If you are anywhere near Lichfield, or just anywhere in Staffs, go and have a look...

in the cathedral you can see loads of artifacts and old things its amazing. i have preformed there before aswell

What a fantastic place for a wedding. Our son was very lucky to be able to be married in this truly wonderful seting. Well worth a visit and Lichfield town is a delightful place with a mix of old and new. There is also a lovely park opposite the Cathedral.

It's wonderful to visit weather your of the church of England faith or not. With great peaceful grounds to walk in and a well preserved Cathedral it's well worth a stop and look.

Amazing stone statues totally adorn the outside walls of the cathedral set on a hill in this lovely city.the three spires are unique .
Inside what is refreshing NO TURNSTILES DEMANDING ENTRANCE FEE'S. instead a really welcoming lady giving out a plan and answering all enquiries.
In the process of restoration to the stain glass windows gives you an opportunity to see the ceiling carving in clear light.
Lunch time service was a peace full experience well worth staying for.
Gift shop and book shop in the cathedral close .
Following the service the verger walks her 3 Siamese cats around the close ( worth seeing in its own rite).

A superb cathedral with lots to see and excellent guides to help you get the best from this historic building. The restaurant within the cathedral area is excellent too.

Lichfield is a small cathedral but unique in having three spires and a very ornate and decorated interior. The Close has some magnificent buildings too.
There is no entrance fee, just a request for a donation. The choir is fantastic and well woth attending a sung service to hear. There is a book and gift shop, a coffee shop and toilet fascilities in The Close.

Beautiful place. The helpers were very friendly. The only flaw was a charge for taking pictures inside which I thought was a little mean. However a beautiful place with a very tranquil feeling.

This review is difficult to write as there are so many brilliant things to write about this great place.
First unlike some cathedrals it's still free to get in , two lady's on entry give you a guide and tell you where to start your walk around the great interior .
There's a donation box right by them which we were happy to donate to as there is no funding from any other source.
There is so much in the way of carving of wood and stone I don't even know where to start its just mind blowing.
While we were there the local school choir was in full practice mode which was lovely to listen to as we walked around.
My wife and I lite candles for our fallen which again was voluntary to give a donation which we were more than happy to do , before we went in to a side room to view treasure from the Staffordshire hoard lent to the cathedral by the councils of Stoke and Birmingham .
They provide magnifying glasses to view the fine detail which again is just stunning.
I could go on for ever but trust us if anyone is in the vicinity of Lichfield you should go even if churches are not your thing it will blow you away.
Hope this helps all looking for somewhere to go in Staffordshire .

Visited the cathedral in September. Quiet, relaxing, no crowds. Helpful but unobstrusive attendants offering information.

Imposing building of red sandstone, its west front decorated with more than a hundred statues: a catalogue of Norman and Plantagenets kings, as well as Old and New Testament characters. Inside, the chapter house contains two magnificent treasures: a Bible dating back to 730 AD and a splendid carving of an 8th Century angel.

Unfortunately, the Flemish glass (1532) had been removed from the Lady Chapel for cleaning: althought it was disappointing not to be able to admire it, it was good to see that the glass is being looked after, and not allowed to decay.

Plenty of other items to view in the cathedral: old and victorian glass (very good windows by Kempe); fragments of medieval murals; moving monuments like the 'Sleeping Children ' by Francis Chantrey (1817) showing two little girls in flowing robes asleep in each other's arms; excellent modern art : a Crucifxion without a cross, depicting Christ floating in mid-air,by Peter Ball.

Although a donation was suggested, it was done in a discreet way, and there was no pressure for the visitor to contribute. However, we were glad to do so to help support such a beautiful and interesting building.

Not all of the stained glass windows were there as some had been sent away to be restored which was a shame. The staff there, although they appear friendly, quickly issue a donation envelope to visitors and make it clear they hope you'll donate at the end... This spoils the visit in a way as i'm sure people would rather not feel pressured into donating but donate because they want to

I visit Lichfield Cathedral very regularly, each time finding something new and interesting. Some of the best bits are tucked away out of sight. Did you know that Nelson's last surviving captain is buried inside the Cathedral? Shame it's hidden by a later alter and used as a storage area!

St. Chad gospel is kept safe in the library but sometimes on display in the chapter house. I was actually in the Cathedral when the "Lichfield Angel" was unearthed during excavation work for the nave alter platform. Very exciting and as predicted now a central marketing item.

Interactive handheld guide are very successfully used in some other Cathedrals and I do wonder if something similar would be good here too.

The Cathedral seems very proud of it's musical heritage. The school is heavily involved in the liturgy through the choir, several CD's are on sale in the rather stuffy gift shop. Chapters cafe offers welcome refreshment where service is much improved in recent years.

Well worth a visit for history of the place but of course your main purpose will be to take part in the worship.

My partner wanted to visit Lichfield for some time so we went on Sunday.
Whilst there we decided to go around the Cathedral, entrance is free but a donation is expected.

Please note if you are planning on taking pictures you need to get a photography pass from the shop. The sign that tells you this is a bit small I would have missed it if my partner had not pointed it out to me. I got asked to produce my pass whilst walking around. £2 to take as many photos as you like is not bad.

The Cathedral itself is a great work of art, from the statues located on the outer walls which are all different and holding different objects to the historic items inside the Cathedral. Walking around make you wonder how people made structures like this in the past with the technology they had.

We were old going to pop in for a quick walk around and ended up spending nearly 3 hours in there.

Access for the disabled is good, been an old building obviously there is some steep stairs to get to some of the other parts of the Cathedral such as St Chads chapel or the balconies but you get get all the way around the main Cathedral insides with no steps as it is all level.

One thing to note that as this is a place of worship, you can not enter until after 12:00 on a Sunday after the morning service has finished.

We had recently been to Worcester Cathedral, but this seemed even better. The architecture is breathtaking, and to think it was all built by hand. The staned glass windows are superb, and I discovered to my delight that my grandfather had actually helped in making one of them.

Fascinating place with an incredible but unattractive facade. Unlike many other cathedrals and minsters Lichfield do not charge an entry fee, had they done so we would not have gone in as we feel that all churches should be free to enter and the level of contribution, if any, should be at the visitors discretion.

beautiful and inspiring - so many things to experience and see. as interesting from the outside as it is inside!

Wow!A magical building,bursting with history in a beautiful town which retains its village feeling despite being quite a large town!

This is a large cathederal in a number of sections. When we visited there was a chamber misic group rehearsing for a concert which gave the whole cathederal an air of peace and tranquility. We spent some time listening to the rehearsal. The cathedera is steeped in history and therefore takes some time to go round if you want to take in all the detail. Well worth a visit.

very old looking cathedral.handy guide give to us on enterance.We did pick wrong day to visit because of a school trip going on inside.you are able to take pictures inside but you will have to purchase a £2 permit.

On Thursday, 27th. September, 2012 I travelled by the 9.45 am London Midland train from Northampton to Lichfield Trent Valley, and then by a small diesel electric to Lichfield City station. I travel first class and the trip was both comfortable and punctual. At Lichfield city station I then took a taxi to the local Record Office to conduct some family research for the period 1783 - 1801, which entailed the scanning of ancient text written on parchments. I was researching my family names of Moreton, Randle, and Hatton. My paternal great grandparents were John Moreton Jnr., and Fanny Randle. I had arrived at the record office at about 12. noon, so after several hours of intensive research of the parchments, I took a break to rest my eyes. I first walked across from the RO to the nearby Gatehouse public house and there enjoyed a very cheap pint priced at only £1.99p. This was a Weatherstone's retail outlet. I could scarcely believe the price. I enjoyed the pint and then walked directly towards the cathedral. It took only ten minutes to reweach this remarkable piece of architecture which had faced the wrath of Oliver Cromwells' soldiers in the mid-seventeenth century during the time of
The Commonwealth when England was a republic in the wake of the regicide of the last king Charles I, who was beheaded after his trial outside Whitehall, London. The cathedral is built in tis attractive local red quarried stone which gives it a unique visual ambience, especially in bright sunshine. The interior is not brightly lit, so be prepared for the sudden drop in quality
light. I only had a short time on my hands so strode clockwise round the cathderal but in that short time was able to see the spectacular medieval glass windows, the burial sites of several famous clergy, some of the cathederal's ancient silverware and related artefacts, and, the inscriptions on the headstones of the cathdedrals clergy who had been buried here. I could imagine a wonderful ambience in the cathedral during either Easter or Christmas ceremonies.
In the bookshop opposite the cathderal I bought several well printed books which recorded the cathedrals history in photographs and text. I also bought a cute teddy bear which wore a jacket bearing the Lichfield cathedral logotype as well as a nicely printed T-towel bearing a graphic of the cathedral. The walkway back to the record office is a pedestrian walkway, so does not have the volume of traffic normally encountered in a city centre, which is an asset as one can stroll peacefully without noise and distraction from cars, vans and lorries. In the immediate area are a wide variety of restaurants, which served Thai, Indian, Chinese and Italin food. There are also several pubs and a hotel from which to choose a beverage, as I had done earlier. The rain held-off, until I departed at 18.00. By 19.45 I was back in Northampton having spent a fruitful and enjoyable visit to this charming city. I think a two day visit would give the visitor a better feel for the city's history and local people. I found everybody to be most helpful and aboveall polite. I will certainly be returning for further family research and to revisit the cathedral and several other local places of historical interest. The city has some fine antique shops. My family research proved fruitful with over forty entries for my related families, of which, all were written on parchments dating from 1787 - 1800 for my families. My next local visit will be to Nuneaton. Geoffrey E. Dxion-Hamilton, editor, Anglo Nordic Times ( Fd. 1976 ).
visit: Thurs. 27. ix. 2012. 0.9.45 am - 19. 45pm gmt bst.

Spent a very pleasant visit looking round this lovely building, the choir was rehearsing and added to the atmosphere. The building was looked after and clearly well loved and used. The outside of this Cathedral is even more spectacular than inside with statues of saints and kings arrayed around the west door. The medial glass from the east window is currently undergoing restoration it will be worth revisiting when this returns.

Beautiful exterior but the inside of the cathedral is very gloomy and a bit disapponting. Expected something larger and more grand. Staff really lovely though.

The building awesome ,the welcome very friendlynot being regular church goers . To take part in a place like a cathedral everyone should try it.
the choir magic

I have visited the cathedral many times, both on days out and during my lunch hour, as i used to work in the beautiful city of Lichfield. It is truly, a spectacular cathedral and a noble cathedral. It is a stunning example of Gothic architecture and it is famed for its three spires, which is unusual. I was told that the nickname of them is 'the ladies of the vale' and you can see them for miles.
The Cathedral is set in an enclave at the end of Dam Street, near to Minster Pool and the lovely parks in Lichfield. It has a cathedral close and some lovely buildings. It is five minutes from Beacon Park and the city centre and is a lovely spot to sit in the grounds and eat lunch, as i used to do!
The Cathedral is the mother church of the second largest diocese after York which covers the ancient counties of Shropshire, Staffordshire and part of the West Midlands. It is the mother church of the Mercian Regiment and the old Staffordshire Regiment and has many historic artifacts on display including regimental standards and some beautiful silver, stained glass and woodwork. The front of the cathedral is plastered with carved statuettes of saints which originally would have been coloured.The Cathedral is named for St Chad and he founded the cathedral in 666AD and his remains are buried beneath the cathedral floor.

It is a wonderful place to visit or worship and it is a real jewel in the crown of Lichfield and the Midlands as a whole and as a Midlander, I reccomend a visit!!!

Amazing cathedral, well worth a trip to see this Staffordshire masterpiece. Johnsons House is also worth a visit in Lichfield.