But in proportion as the facility of communication, and the inducements of fortune, lead men more from home, and a succession of rich and magnificent objects lessen these early impressions, local attachments lose much of their force. Traditions, to which our forefathers listened with delight, are suffered to sink into oblivion; and the hero and the tale are forgotten together.

With some of these simple legends I wished to enliven the dry researches of the Antiquary; but, of Betsy Banks's grave * once the favourite rendezvous of lovers; or the evening bell, instituted because certain adventurers had perished in a dark night on Cannock chace; now no more is remembered than that poor Betsy is said to have fallen a victim to hapless love, and that the persons lost on the heath were knights of great account.

*There is a spot in a field near Lichfield still distinguished by that name, and the custom of sounding the bell is still observed. I believe a bequest was left for that purpose.

In

In monuments of the purest style of Gothic Architecture, England is said to excel the rest of Europe. In Italy, where the arts were first revived, and from whence they were first received, the Grecian architecture began early to mix itself with the Gothic; and this unhappy combination, which never fails to degrade both, is more or less remarked, by historians, in almost all the ancient churches and monastaries on the Continent. King's college, Cambridge, and some of our Cathedrals, are said to stand matchless in the rest of the world.

Amongst these the Cathedral of Lichfield, as lately restored to its antient splendour, confessedly deserves a place in the foremost rank. It is become an object of general admiration and regard; and, as such, I have thought a short account of its origin and remarkable circumstances might not be unacceptable. Such an account can only consist of a compilation from ancient authors, &c. but I hope it will be found that the materials of which it

consists

consists have been selected with care and recorded

with accuracy.

In the present edition I have.

given the inscriptions on all the new monuments in the Cathedral, and an account of some of the many curious articles in the Lichfield Museum, which is highly worth the attention of the Traveller, and its nearness to the Cathedral. renders it very convenient.

J. J.

HISTORY

OF

LICHFIELD.

THE name of this CITY was anciently LICHENFIELD, or Cadaverum Campus, i. e. the Field of Dead Bodies ; probably so called in memory of the dreadful battles said to have been fought near this place (in the years 286 and 288,) between the Christians and Pagans, in which the former were horribly massacred

Lichen, in the Saxon language, signifying a dead body; which, in Staffordshire, Lichfield, and the neighbouring Counties, is still retained; the gates of the church-yards of several parishes, through which funerals are carried, being called Lich-gates, by vulgar error how Light-gates.

(2)

When St. Chad was Bishop of Lichfield (669) it was little more than a small village; but afterwards being the chief residence of his successors, their présence brought many inhabitants, and in some years it became a considerable town.

The Bishops of Lichfield have been anciently seised, in right of their bishoprick, of the manor of Lichfield; which was formerly in, and parcel of, the county of Stafford.

Bishop Clinton, in the reign of King Henry the First, encompassed the town with a ditch, and fortified the castle, giving a sufficient maintenance for a garrison of soldiers; but this in the end proved a needless expence, for there remains nothing of it at this day; though the yard where the tower stood is yet called the Castle-field, and the ditch about the town is still visible.

King Stephen granted to the Bishops of Lichfield, for ever, a mint for coining money in this town.

Bishop Langton, in the reign of Edward the First, built a bridge over the pool which sepa

rates