Lichfield Winchester Train

Lichfield Cathedral. in the Staffordshire city of Lichfield, is dedicated to St Chad and Saint Mary and is located in the Staffordshire city of Lichfield. The cathedral has an internal length of 113 meters and is 21 meters wide. The cathedral's central spire is 77 meters high and its western spires are both around 58 meters high. The cathedral was constructed out of local sandstone which was quarried for a site to the south of the city. Interestingly, the walls of the nave lean slightly outwards due to the weight of the stone used in the vaulted ceiling. The stained glass window of the Lady Chapel contains some of the finest medieval Flemish painted glass, having originally come from the Abbey of Herkenrode in Belgium in 1801. Modern day Lichfield has retained its status as an ecclesiastical centre and the city has managed retained over 200 listed buildings.

In the 18th century Lichfield became a busy coaching centre where Inns and hostelries grew in order to provide accommodation. Industries dependent on the coaching trade such as coach builders, corn and hay merchants, saddlers and tanneries also began to thrive. The main source of wealth to the city came from the money generated by its many visitors. However, the invention of the railways saw a decline in coach travel, and with it came the decline in Lichfield's prosperity.

Located in the county of Hampshire in the south of the United Kingdom, the city of Winchester has been in continuous settlement for over 2,000 years. The city began as a Celtic hill fort which predated the Roman invasion. Following the Roman conquest the town grew and after several centuries it discovered a new identity as an important Saxon city. Eventually, King Alfred the Great named Winchester as the capital, first of his kingdom of Wessex and later all of England. It remained as such until the Norman invasion in 1066. Today, the city is an attractive and peaceful cathedral city nestled deep in the English countryside located close to London and Southampton.

Most of the things to see and do in Winchester, and the places to eat, drink and sleep are within easy walking distance of each other and the railway station. There are several attractive walks in the surrounding countryside, particularly towards Twyford along the Water Meadows, and on Old Winchester Hill. The city has a reasonable bus service, both within the town and to the surrounding area, although frequencies can be quite low with little service in the evenings or on Sunday.