In the 18th century little work was done on the Cathedral until a major restoration at the end of the century, under the architect James Wyatt.  The 18th century was, however, a very lively period in the history of the city of Lichfield.

Darwin, Johnson, Garrick and Seward

Erasmus Darwin, grandfather of Charles, was a notable scientist and doctor.  His inventive mind enabled him to contribute to the Industrial Revolution especially in the Potteries, and through the Lunar Society he greatly influenced intellectual life.  Rationalism and scepticism marked this Age of Reason and Darwin, although he lived in the shadow of the Cathedral, is best described as an agnostic. He was certainly critical of the Church. The house which he built, facing Beacon Street, is still owned by the Chapter, and is now the Erasmus Darwin Centre. Samuel Johnson, by contrast, was a staunch churchman.  Born in Breadmarket Street (the house still stands), he was educated in Dame Oliver’s School in Dam Street.  He went to London with David Garrick, the actor, and achieved fame as a writer and lexicographer with the compilation of his great English Dictionary.  His religious practice is well documented.  He worshipped regularly in St Mary’s Church in the square.  These two very different men were both visitors to the house of Anna Seward, the ‘Swan of Lichfield’, who lived in the Bishop’s Palace.  In her writings about them she clearly preferred Darwin. 

Repairs and Wyatt's extensive work

So far as the Cathedral is concerned, the repairs of the 1660s were beginning to need attention.  The library, built adjacent to the nave and on the north side by Dean Heywode in 1457, had been patched up after the Civil War, and the books given by the Duchess of Somerset to replace those destroyed were put there in 1673.  In 1757, the Dean and Chapter ordered it to be taken down, because it was in a dangerous state, and the books were placed in the room above the Chapter House.  The statues on the west front were also dangerous, and all but three were removed.  Prints of the early 19th century show that they were replaced by one row of kings, finished in Roman Cement, which was used to cover the weathered medieval stone of the statues, and, also, to repair much of the arcading of the Cathedral. 

Towards the end of the century, Wyatt carried out substantial repairs to the south transept buttressing and removed 500 tons of stone from the vaulting of the nave.  The weight of the roof and vaulting was causing the walls of the nave to lean outwards, as they still do, and Wyatt’s work saved them from collapsing altogether.  He also carried out extensive work in the choir and Lady Chapel.  The Dean and Chapter, so the story goes, had complained that it was too cold for worship, and that there was not enough seating.  Wyatt’s solution was to create a church within the Cathedral.  He filled in the arches of the Choir, removed the High Altar, and placed a full stone screen in the first, western bay of the Choir, on which he put the organ with a glass screen up to the vaulting.  He then erected seating from the choir right through to the Lady Chapel area.