*LICHFIELD, (Staffordshire) 94 cm. 118 mm. from London, was, in the Saxons time, an Abpk. for a short space, and is now, together with Coventry, a Bpk. It is a pretty large T. 3 m. from the Trent, and divided by a little r. that runs into it, over which are two causeys, with sluices. The S. side of it, which is much the greatest, is called the City, the other the Close. It was incorporated by Edw. VI. with the name of bailiffs and burgesses, and is both a T. and Co. governed by 2 bailiffs, chosen yearly out of 24 burgesses, a recorder, a sheriff, a steward, and other officers. Here is a Gaol both for debtors and felons, a fr. sc. and a pretty large well endowed hos. Th Co. of the city is 10 or 12 m in com. which the sheriff rides yearly, on the 8th of Sept. and then feasts the corp. and neighbouring gentry, The Close is inclosed with a wall and a deep dry ditch, on all sides, except toward the city, where it is defended by a great lake, or marsh, formed by its brook. The cathedral, which stands in the close, was begun in 1148. In the civil wars it was several times taken and retaken, and thereby suffered much; but was so repaired after the Restoration, that it is one of the fairest and noblest structures of the kind in England. It is walled in like a castle, and stands so high as to be seen 10 m. round. It is 450 feet long, of which the choir is 110, and the breadth in the broadest place 80. Its portico is hardly to be parallelled in England. There are 26 statues of the Prophets, Apostles, the Ks. of Judah, and some Ks. of this land, in a row above it, as big as the life; and on the top at each corner of the portico is a stately spire, besides a fine high steeple on the middle of the Ch. The choir is paved in great part with alabaster and channel-coal, in imitation of black and white marble. The prebendaries stalls, which are thought to be the best in England, were most of them re-erected at the charge of the country gentlemen, whose names and arms are painted at the top of the stalls. In the same close are the palaces of the Bp. and dean, and the prebendaries houses in a court on the hill. Here are 3 other Chs. one of which, St. Michael's, has a Ch.-yard of 6 or 7 acres. Here was a castle, long since destroyed; and ancient camps have been discovered in its neighbourhood. This city has given title of Earl to several families, but now to the noble descendant of Edw. Hen. Lee, who was so created by Cha. II. This being a thoroughfare to the N. W. Cos. has several very good inns. The ale here is very much commended, as it is indeed all over the Co, In the neighbourhood are frequent horse-races. The Mts. here are on Tu. and F, and Fairs on the three first Ths. after Twelth-day, Ash-W. May 1, and the F. before St. Simon and Jude.