Lichfield

Yesterday afternoon we were amongst a convoy of boats approaching Fradley Junction from the Coventry.  Whenever we’ve been through Fradley it’s been heaving with boats and really difficult to moor so …………. before we reached the swing bridge, we ‘dived’ into the one available space!  ‘Dived’ is a huge exaggeration – it actually took quite a lot of toing, froing and pulling!  We took the dogs for a walk around the Nature reserve, had a lovely chat with 86 year old Audrey who was out with her son – (she said they go there often to visit the cafe for coffee and cake!!) and then ended up sitting outside the Swan pub watching the boats…… and having a drink.  Well, you have to, don’t you?!

Today we got the bikes out for an airing and cycled into Lichfield which from here is about five miles.  Before we could go anywhere, however, a puncture needed to be mended.  The inner tube needed replacing and, being a Queen Scout and all that ‘Be-Prepared’ business, he just happened to have one!  Bless!  Where WOULD I be without him?  (Back in the classroom I used to say, “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.”!!!)

We have never been to Lichfield before – what a gem!  It’s a Cathedral City but small and oozes charm.  It has a long history.  From what I could read on information boards etc it seems that it developed as the religious centre of the Kingdom of Mercia in Saxon times.  Actually, in 2009, the discovery of the Staffordshire Hoard was in all the papers.  The largest hoard of Anglo Saxon gold and silver ever to be found was discovered by a chap with a metal detector in a farmer’s field about 4 miles from Lichfield.  An exhibition of these treasures will be in the Cathedral at Lichfield from 30th July.  I would really like to see them.

Lichfield was a Royalist stronghold in the Civil War and the cathedral was well-and-truly desecrated by Mr Cromwell and his followers.  Thankfully, over the ensuing centuries restoration has taken place and the magnificent bbuilding and it’s ornate masonry is back on show for everyone to admire.

        It’s just incredible to me that anyone can create something this realistic out of stone.

This was just one of many, many carved figures – all different.

                                

               

Every household should have one!

Litchfield just felt like a really nice place ……………

                                                      

Onward tomorrow – we need to stop at Rugeley to do a bit of shopping for the weekend and then we hope to be able to moor up near Wolseley but, when the canals are as busy as they are at the moment, you just have to settle for what you can get!  The sensible thing would be to get going early but ………….!!