Secrets of a Medieval Cathedral | Lichfield
In this video, Kevin Hicks explores the medieval Lichfield Cathedral, one of England's most enchanting landmarks. Discover a magnificent architectural wonder that has stood for centuries, and learn some of the fascinating history behind its Gothic spires, stone sculptures and medieval stained glass.
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CREDITS
Opening Aerial video of Lichfield Cathedral ©jLasWilson / Motion Array
Lichfield Cathedral aerial from front: ©David Keith Jones/ Alamy Stock Photo
Lichfield Cathedral aerial from rear: © Cc44332211 / CC BY-SA 4 via Wikimedia Commons
Music: Ready for Church by Claude Signet via Epidemicsound.com
Choir area © Diliff, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
High Altar © Diliff, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Crossing © jaceksphotos / iStock
Staffordshire Regiment Memorial © Peter Wheeler/Alamy
Lady Chapel © Nick Stafford/Pixabay
Пікірлер: 644
You know it’s going to be a grand day when history squad uploads. Thank you Kevin!
@thehistorysquad
10 ай бұрын
My pleasure 👍🏻
I've watched many video tours of British churches, but by far this is the best I've ever seen because of the way you share your first-hand experiences. Getting to hear your stories of working with a stone mason and telling your viewers things that only someone with your knowledge and experience would know is wonderful. Thank you Kevin for sharing your wealth of knowledge with us!
@thehistorysquad
10 ай бұрын
My pleasure, thanks for watching 👍🏻
@daneaxe6465
9 ай бұрын
Those really old churches/cathedrals are so intriguing to me. First how so many are still standing and the amount of detail built in and added over the years. The church in Florence Italy I toured had a knight from the 1300s buried in it.. That church looked modern compared to Lichfield.
Living in Lichfield and going past the cathedral hundreds of times it was interesting to see bits I have missed.
That’s one of the things I miss the most about Germany (lived there for 3 years). I used to go visit the incredibly beautiful churches and castles, I’m from the usa and we just don’t have history like that. Blows me away that they could make things like that with the tools they had available to them.
My grandmother lives in Beacon mews just across from the George and Dragon pub just up from the cathedral so this video is great to watch as Lichfield has always played a massive part of my life and my grandmother used to work in the cathedral as well. Medieval history is a massive interest of mine. Ironically Warwick castle is my favourite castle and a very sacred place to me so it’s great to hear your stories and your connections to these places! : ) small world!
I went to Lichfield once, I knew there was a cathedral but I was not prepared for the beauty and size of it, I was in awe of the place while walking around reading the plaques and taking in the architecture. I say that having lived in both Bath and Winchester so my cathedral quality bar was already quite high, Lichfield raised it further.
@thehistorysquad
10 ай бұрын
Lovely 👍🏻
What a beautiful building. Thanks for sharing, Kevin. While I was stationed in Spangdahlem, Germany from 1978 to 1981 I got to see several castles in Germany, and Roman buildings in Trier. However the only time I was in Britian was passing through enroute to some TDY duty, so never got to spend time seeing the history. Thanks for your passion and great presentation of history. Perhaps someday I will get to go see some of the places you have shown us. Cheers from Texas.
@thehistorysquad
10 ай бұрын
I'm toying with the idea of tripping into Europe on our next visit over the pond 👍🏻
I love watching the videos like this because Kevin feels like a grandpa full of stories to tell and it’s just so nice to hear them, especially when he’s touring places
When I toured Britain, 35 years ago, after touring France and Germany the previous year, I never failed to be impressed by the shear comparative beauty of British cathedrals, so original and so different from the continental ones. Your video is a reminder of that beauty. It is also a reminder that war and fanaticism are destroyers of beauty. Thank you Kevin!
La façade de la Cathédrale de Lichfield ! Ab-so-lu-te-ly wonderful ! 😀😀There is something special about stained glass... So medieval ! And the old army flags ! Nice !
What a stunning building Kevin, love to see old churches, abbeys and the like, shows how well they were built to last so long 🤘🏹
Always enjoyed cathedrals, love how they look when they are built.
So much English art was destroyed by the Parliamentarians. It is grand to see stuff survive that time. That has got to be the best cathedral in England because it gives as a glimpse of what the other destroyed one's may have been like. Awesome Kevin. Thanks.
@thehistorysquad
10 ай бұрын
We're planning our next visit to the UK and hope to seek out some more amazing places and share their stories and history. 👍🏻
@katthompson3852
10 ай бұрын
Wow... can't wait and planning is exciting ... have fun 🙂
@georgeroberts-morehen9147
8 ай бұрын
@@thehistorysquadOHH r u K? GOOD. CAN you fit a special in on the Antonine & Hadrian's Walls?
@thehistorysquad
8 ай бұрын
It's one of the many places we're considering so we'll see. Thanks. @@georgeroberts-morehen9147
Absolutely well researched channel and videos always, and we all appreciate you Kevin. History deserves to be remembered!
Your castle and cathedral tours are great ! I feel as if I was with you and wanted to ask you questions, hehePlease on your travels do as many as possible Thank you for your time and effort.
So many generations, so many different fates and lifes experiencing this church throughout history truly puts things into perspective. Great video as always, thank you Kevin!
I’m American, and I lived in the UK for a semester during an abroad program. The school is now known as the University of Gloucester. I’ve also lived in Germany during my ex-husband’s tour. We saw a good bit of Europe. My favorite, hands down, is the UK! I recently found out I have Scottish heritage. I was over the moon! (Most of my heritage is German and Dutch.). As a student of both history and the law, I have always appreciated the UK. I hope to make it back one day. In the meantime, thank you for bringing my favorite country to me here at home in the US as I watch your lovely retelling of history!
@thehistorysquad
7 ай бұрын
My pleasure Lisa 👍🏻
Oh that's just beautiful. I would love nothing more but than to visit that church!!!❤❤❤
Thanks Kevin, never visited Lichfield Cathedral. But having watched this, definitely going on my list to visit.
Another great example of why your channel is one of the best! I have a KZread video to check out ( spit fire, lake Champlain maritime museum) it’s on the last unaccounted for gun boats of B Arnold. They do a deep water dive on it and it’s amazing to see it sitting on the bottom of the lake! Different shot still in trays by the guns.
What a wonderful place to live and be so connected to history.
Taking a tour with Kevin on a cloudy Friday is always something to look forward to
@thehistorysquad
10 ай бұрын
What did you think of the place?
@JStrawmyre
10 ай бұрын
I was actually very interested in the amount of statues and faces, and the fact that you yourself got to work on it and learn some of the secrets that only the workers would know and it wouldn’t be far-fetched, if it really is a broom handle with some plaster over it things like that happen on the fly. You did a great job Kevin.
@JStrawmyre
10 ай бұрын
If anything, I would only like to know more about the statues, the people who made them, and who they were dedicated too.
@thehistorysquad
10 ай бұрын
@@JStrawmyre Cheers John 👍🏻
Thank you Sir for sharing yet another nugget of history! Much love.
My dad went to school in Lichfield and we visited the cathedral there about 10 years ago, it really is a beautiful building. Sadly when we went they were doing restoration work on some of the stained glass windows so we couldn't see it in its full glory. Hoping to go back there soon
Stunning to see all of that stonework carved and laid by hand - thanks for showing us yanks what true craftsmanship looks like! A beautiful building.
Dear Kevin, I'm always enjoying your channel, but this video is the best about the unblievable skills in craftmanship of our ancestors. Thanks a million and best regards from Germany ❤
@thehistorysquad
10 ай бұрын
Wow, I'm glad you enjoyed it. Thanks 👍🏻
The beautiful Lichfield cathedral. I have a lovley view of the cathedral from my flat, as well as the hills of Cannock chase. That along with the sunsets were a major selling point for me.
@thehistorysquad
10 ай бұрын
Nice 👍🏻
oooh more secret time with Kevin! I can't wait! ♥
@thehistorysquad
10 ай бұрын
😂
@Lord_Shmesh_The_Squishy
10 ай бұрын
@@thehistorysquad I absolutely love it when you explore and show us stuff like this! Though, I love just about all you do. You're an amazing person Kevin, thank you for giving me a reason to smile today. ♥
@thehistorysquad
10 ай бұрын
@@Lord_Shmesh_The_Squishy You're very kind, thanks 👍🏻
I used to live on the Lichfield Rd in Walsall Wood many years ago,I used to love going to Lichfield .Your tour was great but does not really show how huge this beautiful Cathedral is ,and although the windows looked great ,in real they are amazing.It’s one of my favourite Cathedrals I have seen,it has that wonderful air of peace and tranquility.I used to love visiting it just for that alone.I think all the information is beautifully laid out and easily accessible ,and it’s well worth a visit just to see all the wonderful carving.It’s certainly a highlight in Lichfield.But there are also so many really old buildings there too look at that date back a long time.There are even some very old shops in the shopping center too.I love this place and miss it now I have moved and no longer drive.🥰
I would LOVE to have had you as a history teacher, your work is always interesting and informative.
There’s not a single video you upload I do not enjoy. Thank you for the education and entertainment you provide in these weekly. Will always be a fan Kevin!
@thehistorysquad
10 ай бұрын
Wow, thanks 👍🏻
Hello Kevin Hicks - I'm Jonathan Hicks, also born and raised in Lichfield and the Cathedral is my favourite building in the world. I live in Northamptonshire now, so it was a pleasure to be shown around the Cathedral by another Hicks! Great video, all my very best!
@thehistorysquad
5 ай бұрын
Very cool! Thanks Jonathan 👍🏻
This was iconic!! But I bet that there is so much more to discover and learn from this place. It truly saddens me that so much history gets destroyed and lost over mans power struggles. We can only hope for a better future. Thank you so very much for sharing all of this. You tell the history with so much love and respect!🙏💖🪶💯💯👏👏
i loved our little visit. it would be awesome to see the cathedral in the flesh, so to speak. it's also awesome to have a willing teacher on hand. thank you for that.
@thehistorysquad
10 ай бұрын
My pleasure 👍🏻
I’d like you to have a lesson on Lindisfarne or other cathedrals some day. You share so many interesting facts. I look forward to your videos. Please keep them coming.
@thehistorysquad
10 ай бұрын
Absolutely, I’ve been preparing some Viking models just for that purpose. 😀
Always amazed by the architecture of these incredible buildings, thanks to my Norman ancestors for creating these works of art. Great video Kevin cheers!
Thank you Kevin. A marvelous tour. I imagine that the sieges of the cathedral were all close run things.
I've been to Lichfield so many times (I only live about 10 miles away), & I can't believe I've never visited the Cathedral. It's on my list now 😊 Cheers - great video
@thehistorysquad
10 ай бұрын
That's crazy! 👍🏻
@neilcook4686
10 ай бұрын
@@thehistorysquad I know :/
So happy to be a new subscriber and able to watch this in the first few hours of it being posted. Although it says posted 5 hours ago but i only got a notification 37 minutes ago? Weirddddd. Anyway. I love your presentation style, and the variety of historical lessons you get to present to us in the actual locations. I am so grateful I get to experience these while they’re happening. Brings me back to my childhood at my gmas where she had cable and I got to see actual history channel from the 90s!
@thehistorysquad
10 ай бұрын
Haha, welcome and thanks for watching. Yes, the YT notifications are somewhat of an enigma, so if you don't get one for a while, you might want to check back as we do try to upload every week if we can. 👍🏻
Love this show... An Australian looking back at his heritage 🇦🇺❤️
Thank you a million . for some New Zealander this is gold as it is our history as well as yours ,our Chatfields are traced back to the 1400 so they may have known about this so thank you.
The only channel on KZread that gets an insta-like. Content's always quality.
@thehistorysquad
10 ай бұрын
Cheers!!
I’ve lived here for years. Quite intrigued by your history. It’s currently under renovation at the moment and I wondered what secrets they’d discover while all the scaffolding is up. I was at Tewksbury Abbey recently which is a place full of historic stories too. Brilliant vlog as usual. Thanks
@thehistorysquad
10 ай бұрын
Thanks 👍🏻. We were lucky then that we missed all that scaffolding as we shot this back in April.
Kev you are such a joy to watch! These castle/cathedral tours are some of my favorites. You just ooze excitement when you’re walking around them! They need to get this man to make films for schools! Awesome way to learn history. Thanks for making such awesome content for us. When I do my trip to the uk do you have any must see historical places like these that I should go see? The fact that they had this level of craftsmanship that long ago blows my mind
@thehistorysquad
10 ай бұрын
I guess it would depend on which part of the country you're planning on staying as there are some fabulous castles in Wales, and cathedrals all over. If you're visiting London, the Tower of London is a 'must do' 👍🏻
@ORDEROFTHEKNIGHTSTEMPLAR13
8 ай бұрын
There's no ending in historical places to visit in the UK they are freaking everywhere..
Been there today absolutely stunning
Thank you for showing the Cathedral in such detail, from a fellow Lichfieldian.👍
Magnificent video Kevin. You are not only full of historical facts, scandals, architecture and battles, a few examples of your expertise, but also full of surprises! How exciting to have been an apprentice stonemason who actually worked with master stonemasons who restored Lichfield Cathedral. Thank you for showing us the secrets of the Cathedral and the Parliamentary wars that took place in the 1600's. ❤❤❤
@thehistorysquad
5 ай бұрын
My pleasure 👍🏻
It’s always been a dream of mine to visit a cathedral. Thank you so much. If I ever go to Europe I would visit cathedrals. I love looking at them picturewise. Amiens seems the most beautiful to me. I couldn’t imagine building this nor doing what you did. I’m afraid of heights and I’d be shaking. This is a beautiful church. I hope to visit this one day. I’d be there for hours. Is this a catholic cathedral as well?Thank you so much for this!
@Raycheetah
10 ай бұрын
There is a great video, "PBS - Cathedral - David Macaulay," which is a fictionalized account of the construction of a medieval cathedral. It is based on David Macaulay's book (as are the other videos in the series), and it humanizes the builders and others involved in or affected by the decades-long project. As I recall, Amiens gets a mention as an historical example for Macaulay's hypothetical cathedral. =^[.]^=
@PhinAI
10 ай бұрын
A major highlight of all of my travels across the Globe have been the cathedrals and churches I've visited in various nations. There, you find some of the very best preserved artifacts, and in some cases, even current congregations and clergy. Very highly recommended!
@jamesmccarthy5086
10 ай бұрын
@@PhinAI I want to one day. I heard a cathedral somewhere has the oldest clock still working. I certainly hope to do so one day
@jamesmccarthy5086
10 ай бұрын
@@Raycheetah I will certainly check it out. Thank you!
@thehistorysquad
10 ай бұрын
Lichfield is an Anglican cathedral 👍🏻
Best tour guide and teacher on KZread!!! Thank you Mr. Hicks, you're THE BEST and your work is incredible.
@thehistorysquad
9 ай бұрын
Wow, thanks!
I LOVE this one , as I live just down the road in Rugele y and have been to Lichfield many, many times and looked at and been in the cathedral.
A new historysquad film always makes my day
Wow, what a beautiful building. Very interesting video. I love the fact you show details close up. Brilliant 😊❤
Kevin, thank you for sharing your experience with us and that wonderful Cathedral, it's just magnificent and I love all the little heads watching.
@thehistorysquad
8 ай бұрын
Glad you enjoyed it
Hi Kevin on the 10th of June I broke 2 ribs and ripped my chest /back muscle ,watching your videos as got me through some painful days and nights .They are absolutely brilliant and I look forward to every new one! I'm still in mild pain and sleeping upright,but your uploads have made it bearable .Thank you xx
@thehistorysquad
10 ай бұрын
How lovely, thank you too. I hope you continue your recovery and become pain-free soon 👍🏻
Always a pleasure to watch one of my history channels ever
It's so beautiful and has so many uses😮 I'm an Aussie and we've never had a civil war so our churches are just churches some in the big cities are really beautiful too but they just don't have the same history or pure grandeur because of the history and skill that was put in to create these amazingly complicated things for love of a higher power. (I like churches and the like and castlesp )
Dear Kevin. You missed one of the most important facts. The whole structure is built on the skew. They ran out of foundation bedrock and had to botch it up. They brought in a top Mason from France, I think. He did a fantastic job of making the building fit the foundation they had. But if you stand at the end, you can see the problem they had to rectify. Love your videos. Top work again with this one. Lots of love, George Bear. x
@thehistorysquad
10 ай бұрын
Thanks for the info, cheers George 👍🏻
That is a beautiful cathedral, thank you very much for sharing it with us!
What a precious gem this Lichfield Cathedral is! Thanks for the tour Kevin, as always it was a pleasure listening to you!
@thehistorysquad
2 ай бұрын
I think so too, many thanks!
Wonderful tour! Made special, by your history, with this magnificent structure!
I, too, always wonder how the monks kept their lines straight and wrote so neatly whenever I see texts from those times😂
The detailed work on this place is incredible. Thank you for taking us on a tour.
@thehistorysquad
5 ай бұрын
Glad you enjoyed it
These tour videos are your best ones, love them
This has become my new history channel. This guy should be getting paid, and a lot.
@thehistorysquad
9 ай бұрын
Thanks & welcome 👍🏻
Another great video Kev and what a beautiful Cathedral!! Could any of the heads be of the monied people who paid for the works? The standard of the work by the masons is quite incredible. The character in the faces is amazing!! Well done again Kev!! Plus....Editing now....My Father's Grandfather was a Banker Mason and towards the end of his career carved many Gargoyles for buildings similar to this. I remember my Father told me he did a lot of the stone carving on one of the many restorations of Bath Abbey. My Father's family was from Wiltshire. Dave.
@thehistorysquad
10 ай бұрын
Ooh, interesting. My father's family originate from Calne 👍🏻
Wealth of knowledge absolutely awesome! Thank you again Kevin!
The history squad is what I wish the history channel was
That is an amazingly beautiful cathedral. And your presentation is outstanding... as usual.
@thehistorysquad
10 ай бұрын
Thank you very much!
Kevin: Wonderful vid. I loved the camera work, and the stories. Best of all is I can here the sheer pride and joy you are experiencing, showing and telling us of this place, and its history. Thank you.
@thehistorysquad
10 ай бұрын
Thanks Dave 👍
I love your channel & your Canadian Legion Veteran cap! My grandpa was a ww2 vet. Keep up the great historical stories! I like your personal stories!
@thehistorysquad
10 ай бұрын
Thanks, will do 👍🏻
What a fascinating and gorgeous cathedral! Thank you, Kevin!
@thehistorysquad
9 ай бұрын
My pleasure!
Grew up in Lichfield too, still a nice place to visit
Brilliant work. Bringing back great memories of times spent in Litchfield. 🍻
I’m laid up in bed with a cold, so thanks for taking me on an adventure!
Thank you ❤ from the US/Cross Lanes,West Virginia
It's so interesting to learn about this fortress hope more of this videos are coming
I live in BOT not far. I've visited the cathedral many times. It truly is breathtaking, everywhere you look there is something that awe inspires. One I asked at the visitor centre, are there crypts under the building? and to my surprise I was told it was built from ground level up with no rooms underneath. The building must weigh an astronomical amount and for it too still stand today just shows that those who built the cathedral certainly knew their crafts well.
Always happy to find a new video from your channel. What a stunning cathedral! Such a complex structure created so long ago speaks volumes about human ingenuity and creativity. It’s always been a favorite of mine because of the statues and little faces. There’s a wonderful air of whimsy to it. I’ve only seen photos in books and never seen it person…maybe in my next life. To see this video, what a special treat…made my day, I found the standards very moving…so much loss of life, so much suffering, so much courage.
@thehistorysquad
10 ай бұрын
Thanks Sharon, glad you enjoyed the tour, it really is an amazing place. 👍🏻
What a beautiful building! Stunning ❤
This was just amazing. Truly amazing. Just beautiful thanks Kevin for sharing
Counting the heads of Lichfield Cathedral is now on my bucket list.
@thehistorysquad
10 ай бұрын
😜 good luck!
Thanks again Kevin ,that was a wonderful tour. Here's to you doing many more in England.
@thehistorysquad
9 ай бұрын
Cheers 👍🏻
I liked the way you said "and PAY their respect"
One thing about cathedrals in the UK is relatively plain appearance of the interiors as the reformations (both England and Scotland) tended to destroy statues, stained glass and tapestries.
Thank you, sir! I truly respect and appreciate your knowledge
Looking at the care taken with these buildings, it amazes me that whole generations have been involved in their build & upkeep, the necessary skills often handed down father to son. Imagine sitting in a rocking chair & watching your students carry on with something you spent your whole working life on . . . like any 'parenting', it's just another form of 'farming' really. Can this all continue in today's 'profit-or-die' & 'obsolete-before-yesterday' World? Hope so : )
That was wonderful Kevin, a real eye opener of this beautiful Cathedral
What a amazing building!! Thank you so much!! love it!❤
Another excellent video Kevin, thanks.
Thanks for a fascinating tour, Kevin.
Thanks Kevin, I have visited many times but it's always nice to hear mire new stories about the cathedral. 👍
A CLASSIC cathedral in every sense well worth a visit!👍👍….thanks for the insightful tour!
This was such a lovely tour. Thank you.
Thank you, Kevin! Excellent video!
FANTASTIC video ! Thanks, Kevin.
Great video Kevin. Thanks very much.
Great video, thank you for producing all of them
Great video Kevin thank you for sharing 😊
Thanks Kevin , I do love your films.
Thank you Kevin, another very interesting video, you really have a knack for telling history.