Lichfield Cathedral

Lichfield Cathedral, dedicated to St Chad and St Mary, is unique among medieval English cathedrals for its three spires, earning it the nickname “Ladies of the Vale.” The present Gothic structure, begun in 1195, stands on a site that has been sacred since St Chad established his episcopal see here in 669 AD. The cathedral endured catastrophic damage during the English Civil War when Parliamentary forces besieged it, destroying much of the medieval glass and sculpture. Extensive restoration in the 19th century by George Gilbert Scott returned the building to Gothic splendor, though scars from musket balls remain visible on the stonework—physical reminders of its violent past.

The most frequently reported phenomenon involves phantom monks processing through the nave and cloisters, particularly during the hours after midnight. These figures wear Benedictine habits and walk in single file, their heads bowed as if in prayer, before disappearing near the Lady Chapel. Cathedral staff and visiting pilgrims describe hearing Gregorian chant emanating from the choir stalls when the building is locked and empty. The chapel of St Chad’s Head, which once housed the saint’s skull before its loss during the Reformation, experiences intense spiritual presences—visitors report overwhelming sensations of being watched and spontaneous feelings of reverence or fear.

The cathedral library, housed in medieval buildings adjacent to the main structure, sees apparitions of scholarly figures in clerical dress examining nonexistent manuscripts. The Civil War siege has left its own supernatural legacy: phantom musket fire and the sounds of running footsteps echo through the cathedral close on certain nights, and the ghost of a Royalist soldier has been seen near the chapter house where Parliamentary troops breached the defenses. The three spires themselves generate unusual phenomena—visitors climbing the tower stairs report vertigo and disorientation beyond what the height should cause, and some describe the sensation of medieval builders watching them from the shadows. Lichfield Cathedral’s combination of Saxon sanctity, medieval architecture, and Civil War violence creates a spiritually charged atmosphere where multiple layers of history manifest simultaneously.