Doctor Samuel Johnson was one of the most important writers of the eighteenth century. In 1755 he published the book he is most famous for, ‘The Dictionary of the English Language’. The seated statue of Johnson is raised on a moulded pedestal with three relief panels. Johnson is depicted wearing academic robes, his chin resting on his hand, and appears deep in thought. He sits upon a Greek Revival chair with books stacked underneath it. The reliefs illustrate scenes from Johnson’s life.

Provenance: gift from Dr John Thomas Law, Chancellor of the Diocese of Lichfield

Object description
Type: Sculpture
Location: Market Square, Lichfield, Staffordshire, England
Material: Ashlar
Artist: Richard Cockle Lucas (1800–1883)
Date: 1838

Image Details
Date: 29 March 2024
Camera body: Nikon D50
Lens: Nikkor AF-S DX 18-55mm ƒ3.5-5.6G ED
Focal Length: 55mm
Aperture: ƒ/5.6
Shutter Speed: 1/500s
ISO: 500
Licence: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International

The statue depicts Darwin leaning forward from a seated position. His left hand openly displays a shell, whilst his right holds his ‘Commonplace’ book. Darwin is dressed in a long coat with a cravat and ruffle sleeves. Darwin is depicted seated on a stone with rising vines. The statue stands upon a square plinth.

Provenance: funded through charitable subscriptions and under the care of the District Council

Object description
Type: Sculpture
Location: Beacon Park, Lichfield, Staffordshire, England
Material: Bronze
Artist: Peter Walker (b.1973)
Date: 2012

Image Details
Date: 29 March 2024
Camera body: Nikon D50
Lens: Nikkor AF-S DX 18-55mm ƒ3.5-5.6G ED
Focal Length: 34mm
Aperture: ƒ/4.5
Shutter Speed: 1/500s
ISO: 560
Licence: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International

A full-length, life-size statue of Commander Edward John Smith. He stand resolutely with his arms folded, staring to the right, into the far distance. The bearded figure of Smith is depicted dressed in a naval peaked cap and a long greatcoat.

Object description
Type: Sculpture
Location: Beacon Park, Lichfield, Staffordshire, England
Material: Bronze
Artist: Kathleen Scott (1878–1947)
Date: 1914

Image Details
Date: 29 March 2024
Camera body: Nikon D50
Lens: Nikkor AF-S DX 18-55mm ƒ3.5-5.6G ED
Focal Length: 38mm
Aperture: ƒ/4.8
Shutter Speed: 1/1,000s
ISO: 250
Licence: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International

From Wikipedia

Lichfield Cathedral, formally the Cathedral Church of Saint Mary and Saint Chad in Lichfield, is a Church of England cathedral in the city of Lichfield, England. It is the seat of the bishop of Lichfield and the principal church of the diocese of Lichfield and holds daily services. The cathedral has been designated a Grade I listed building.

The diocese of Mercia was created in 656, and a cathedral was consecrated on the present site in 700. The relics of the fifth bishop, Chad of Mercia, were housed at the cathedral until being removed in 1538 during the English Reformation. In 1075 the seat of the diocese was moved to St John the Baptist’s Church, Chester and then from there to St Mary’s Priory in Coventry. Lichfield gained co-cathedral status in 1148, and became the sole cathedral in the diocese after St Mary’s Priory was dissolved in 1539 and the new diocese of Chester created in 1541. During the English Civil War the Cathedral Close, Lichfield was besieged three times; the church was severely damaged, losing all of its medieval glass and many monuments.

The cathedral was built between early 13th century and c. 1320 in the Decorated Gothic style. The work probably began with the choir at the east end and progressed west through the transepts, chapter house, nave, and south-west tower. The lady chapel, central tower, south-east tower, and three spires followed. The building was restored after the Civil War under bishop John Hacket and several times in the 18th and 19th centuries. Many of the details of the building date from the restorations undertaken by George Gilbert Scott, owing to the soft sandstone of which it is constructed as well as war damage.

Image Details
Date: 29 March 2024
Camera body: Nikon D50
Lens: Nikkor AF-S DX 18-55mm ƒ3.5-5.6G ED
Focal Length: 18mm
Aperture: ƒ/3.5
Shutter Speed: 1/40s
ISO: 800
Licence: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International