I’m delighted to see that Christ Church, Lichfield is having an open day. On Saturday 9th March, between 10am and 4pm, visitors will be able to explore this wonderful Victorian building and its architectural features, including the lovely chancel ceiling, original Minton tiles and stained glass, with the help of local history enthusiasts.
The grounds are lovely at this time of year, and a quick check of my photographs from last March tells me that the wild garlic and daffodils should be coming through in the lane alongside the church, so don’t forget to have a look outside as well as in. There are also the intriguing stone heads around the inside and outside the building, that I wrote about back in January and am still none the wiser about (although I did see some very similar ones at St Michael’s – a church that Thomas Johnson the architect was involved in restoring a few years before her started work here at Christ Church)!
The open day is being run by the new Friends of Christ Church, a group whose aim is to support the preservation, conservation and enhancement of the church and its grounds. I understand that anyone who becomes a member will receive an annual newsletter with details of upcoming events and projects to get involved in, and also a copy of the excellent book “Christchurch: A History”, which tells the story of the church, and the associated buildings in the area such as Christ Church School, The Old Vicarage, the cottage in the churchyard and Beacon Place (gone but not without a trace….).
More information can be found at www.christchurch-lichfield.org.uk/events or by email friendsofccl@btinternet.com.
Lichfield Lore 
I shall make a note in my diary and pop along to take a look.
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Nicely wild and slightly mysterious churchyard.
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Not quite as wild or mysterious about the one I’m writing about at the moment though….
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Hello everyone, I’ve always enjoyed the Christchurch side of Lichfield, I had school friends live that way, so we always had a good mooch around those woods and the ones over at Leomansley/Maple Hayes as kids.. one area I’m looking into at the mo, is the Townfields area, found 0.5 mile SE of C’church .. any pointers/details on this local area would be great =) Simon
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Helloe Simon. Townfields hmmm. You can imagine you’re in the middle of the countryside there (well until you get to the A51 at least!). I think this may have been common pasture in the past? It’s a lovely part of Lichfield & I too would like to know more! You know where else around there that intrigues me? Bunkers Hill. Might do a post actually!
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Just read that it was known as Burgess Field in the early 16th century and became Town Field in 1654 (VCH)
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Helloe Kate !! =) lol … well thats a start, I think what I need is a good map, one that maybe covers the Queen St/Walsall Rd area’s before the Bowling Green Island and the major road systems/by-pass were introduced. I know that might sound a bit recent, but I’ve found in the past, If you too far back, too quick I often miss bits that would make the whole job easier? and then start from there ..do you have a fave map vendor ??
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I seem to lose my maps as fast as I acquire them! Luckily there is this super useful site for post-1884 maps http://www.old-maps.co.uk/index.html and this one for some slightly earlier ones http://www.oldmapsonline.org/#bbox=-109.960937,-51.991812,119.960938,71.99589&q=&datefrom=1000&dateto=2010
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Thanks =)
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Simon when I was in Tesco Lichfield last I saw a map that
was 1883 I think on one side and 2012 on the other side,
This was just inside on the right by the books hope this
of help to you.
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Bunkers Hill ?? is it a link to the obvious or is there an old English meaning in there somewhere? ie like Gallows Wood in Hopwas ???
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I heard or read some years back that it was used as a base for Cromwell’s troops during the Civil War. All I’ve been able to find recently is a report that the hill was levelled in 1905
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OOOppps I meant Hanging Woods Hopwas =/
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There were houses up there at on stage ??
http://www.gilbert-family-history.net/getperson.php?personID=I508&tree=Gilbert
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I think so…I know there was definitely a farm and there was also a lodge, both belonging to Beacon Place. There are some useful maps of the area here on Gareth Thomas’ pinterest page https://pinterest.com/FieldOfTheDead/beacon-park/
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