Old Images of Lichfield, Staffordshire

Historic Book

Extract from: “History of the City and Cathedral of Lichfield” by John Jackson

Published 1805

Pages 42-43

In this their extreme distress, three British Kings raised a weak undisciplined army, to oppose these veteran barbarians; and the battle was fought, about the year 288, near Lichfield, where the Christian army and their three Kings were all slain, their carcases and bones burnt and heaped upon a hill, according to the ancient custom of burial after a battle, and covered with a mound of earth, or tumulus,
where, probably if dug into, the urns and ashes will be still discovered: the place is, to this day, called Barrow-cop-hill; an escutcheon or landscape of which, with the three slain Kings, or Martyrs, in several manners massacred, with a basso relievo of the present cathedral, was made the city arms; though some authors observe that Lichfield probably took its name, from its situation, and not from the cruelties practised under Dioclesian, and Maximian; Lych, in the Saxon language, signifying a marsh or morass, (which Lichfield originally was) as well as a dead body.

Pages 45- 48

From Folly – hall we proceed to the HOSPITAL
and CHAPEL in St. John’s – street .
This structure was originally a monastery ,
but when founded is not known ; though we
find that about the thirtieth year of the reign
of King Henry the First ( 1130 ) , Roger de Clin
ton , then Lord Bishop of Coventry , revised and
amended the code of statutes anciently made .
for the rule and government of the friars , & c .
This monastery was most probably one of
those religious foundations dissolved by Henry
the Sixth , in the nineteenth year of his reign
( 1441 ) , as in the tenth year of Henry the Se
venth ( 1495 ) , it was rebuilt at the expence

of William Smith , Bishop of Lichfield and Co
ventry , and by him founded as an hospital
and chapel , and dedicated to St. John the
Baptist .
The front of this building is very remarkable
for the number and antique form of its chimneys ;
and over the door is a Latin inscription , thus
rendered in English .
” This is the hospital of St. John the Baptist ,
which that venerable prelate William Smith , for
merly Lord Bishop of this see , erected , in the
year 1495 , for a master and thirteen poor men .
” The same munificent patron also founded
Brazen – nose college , in Oxford .
” And , ‘ to his memory , Edward Maynard ,
master of this hospital , set up this table , in the
year of our Lord , 1720. “

Bishop Smith enfeoffed this hospital with
divers lands and tenements , for the mainte
´nance of a master , two priests , and thirteen
poor men ; on whom King Henry the Seventh
settled all the revenues of the hospital of Den
hall , at Wyrehall , in the county of Chester ,
together with the profits of the impropriate church

of Burton , for ever . We have reason to con
clude that the chief of these endowments have
long since been alienated from this hospital . * ;
yet , by the munificence of several benevolent
persons , it is still possessed of a handsome estate ,
and great privileges . The charter , granted by
King Charles II . to the citizens of Lichfield
contains a special reservation , that the master
of this hospital shall not be prejudiced by the
said charter .
Nearly opposite is the FREE GRAMMAR
SCHOOL , founded by Bishop Smith at the time
he erected the hospital . Many of the brightest
ornaments of the last and of the present century
are indebted to this school for the rudiments of
their education . The present master is the Rev.
T. Harwood , of Trinity College , Oxford .

In the adjacent spacious street , called Boar
street , is an English free – school , the new Theatre ,
and the Guildhall .
‘ The ENGLISH FREE – SCHOOL is an ancient
building , erccted and endowed by Thomas Mi

nors , esq . in the year 1670 , for the teaching
of thirty poor boys to read the Bible in English .
The THEATRE is a newly erected building ,
with a stucco front . The interior part is spa
cious , and the boxes , stage , & c . neatly deco
rated . It is now the property of a society of
gentlemen .
The GUILDHALL is a neat stone edifice ,
ornamented with the city arms . The Guild
and Guild – master , by which this town was
originally governed , usually assembled in this
place . King Richard the First enabled the
Guild to purchase lands to the value of ten
pounds . At the back part of the hall , there is a
GAOL , for confining debtors and felons ap
prehended within the boundaries of the city and
county of Lichfield.