Lichfield

Understand

One of seven civil parishes with city status in England, Lichfield has a population of 35,000 (2021). It sits north of Birmingham and north-west of London.

Lichfield is notable for its three-spired cathedral and as the birthplace of Dr. Johnson, the writer of the first authoritative Dictionary of the English Language. A Dictionary of the English Language, one of the most influential dictionaries in the history of the English language, was prepared by Samuel Johnson and published on April 15, 1755.

Lichfield is also the birthplace of Elias Ashmole (23 May 1617 – 18 May 1692). Elias was a celebrated English antiquary, politician, officer of arms, astrologer and student of alchemy. He supported the royalist side during the English Civil War, and at the restoration of Charles II, he was rewarded with several lucrative offices. Throughout his life, he was an avid collector of curiosities and other artefacts. Many of these he acquired from the traveller, botanist, and collector John Tradescant the Younger. Ashmole donated most of his collection, his antiquarian library and priceless manuscripts to the University of Oxford to create the Ashmolean Museum.

Get around

Lichfield is small enough to be able to get around most of the areas of interest in the centre on foot. There are local buses running on selected routes, but they generally are really of use only to residents.

See

thumb|300px|A Panorama of Lichfield from one of the Cathedral Spires Minster Pool and Stowe Pool Dam Street Market Place Corn Exchange Milley's Hospital St. Johns without the Bars Staffordshire Regiment Museum is on A51 Tamworth Rd near Whittington Heath Golf Club.

Do

Coventry Canal skirts the east of town. It courses 38 miles (61 km) from Coventry via Bedworth, Nuneaton, Atherstone, Polesworth and Tamworth to Lichfield and has a firm towpath for hiking or cycling. It has 13 locks and is navigable throughout for narrow-boats not exceeding 72 ft / 21.9 m length, 7 ft / 2.1 m beam and 6 ft 6 in / 1.98 m headroom. It has junctions with several other canals, ending north of Lichfield at the Trent and Mersey Canal, and forms part of the 106 mile circuit of the "Warwickshire Ring". Lichfield Festival has a literature event at the end of March and a chamber concert series in October, but the main event is the international music and arts festival over 11 days in July.

Buy

Most of the city's shops are on Bakers Lane.

Eat

Within the city there are many good places to eat out, most are situated on Bird Street. They are typically of high quality and attract customers from outside the city. Recommended restaurants include the following:

Indian Eastern Eye Qmin Lal Bagh Lime Pickle

Chinese Ruby Lee Garden Crystals

Thai Thai Rainbow Mama Thai

Spanish Don Paco

Italian Pizza by Goli Cafes Cafe Nero Cafe One Melbourne in Lichfield The Lounge

Fast food McDonalds Subway Numerous pizza, kebab and fish and chip shops On Friday nights a mobile fish and chip van drives around much of Lichfield cooking and serving as they go - the food couldn't be fresher!

Drink

Queens Head, Queen St, +44 1543 410932. Popular and friendly pub just outside of the city centre serving six top quality real ales. There is a huge cheese counter where customers can order cheese, pickles, bread to accompany the beer! Earl of Lichfield, Conduit St, +44 1543 251020. Popular city centre pub serving well kept Marston's Pedigree from nearby Burton on Trent.

Stay safe

As with the rest of the UK, in any emergency call 999 or 112 (from a land-line if you can) and ask for ambulance, fire or police when connected. It is free to call the emergency services from payphones.

Lichfield is a generally safe city with most crime levels well below the national average. Incidents of violent crime and sexual offences are very low. However, as with the rest of the United Kingdom it is advisable to avoid large drunken groups where possible as alcohol-related crime is on the rise throughout the country. It is also advisable to exercise normal security measures.

Go next

Birmingham Burton on Trent Walsall Map of places with Wikivoyage articles nearby