31. Cannock Chase and 32. Lichfield Cathedral Staffordshire, 11th October

Photos:

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0842 Rugeley in the morning is not much better than Rugeley in the evening.  Still, I go for a wander to get some breakfast and come across a weird pet shop supplying snakes, geckos, lizards and other unusual pets.  I browse for a bit listening to the shopkeeper and customer discuss the cost of different sizes of rats...

1000 – Head out of town towards Hednesford following the minor roads.   I want to visit a Museum there about Cannock Chase before heading out for a ride on the Chase itself.  Mum and Dad used to cycle around these parts on a tandem, so I thought I would keep up the tradition albeit single-handedly!  Happily, the weather has perked up considerably – should be a good day.

1138 Wandering around the Cannock Chase museum.  I expected it to be a rural life museum but there is a lot about coal mining.  It appears the area was dotted with coal mines until 1993 and there is a lot of detail right down to the names of the individual coal seams, the signalling used to lower and raise cages and the different types of gases, or ‘damps’ found in mines.

The exhibits are mostly static, but they also have an impressive model of a coal pit complete with working winding gear and cage, various audio narratives from locals and ex-miners and a recreation of a 1940’s room.  Worryingly, the latter does not look dissimilar to houses of aunts and uncles I visited in my childhood in the 60’s.

I laugh at a preachy National Coal Board film about pit safety procedure which is quite revealing about the day to day workings of a pit and what it is actually like underground.  The narrator definitely has a ‘Pathe News’ style, delivering gems such as ‘Ensure you follow the route across the site designated by The Management!’

One completely unexpected gallery tucked away in a corner was a timeline of toys and games with examples.  I spent quite a bit of time reliving my youth before repairing to the cafe for a cuppa.

Museum Trivia:

Canaries were used to detect gas in mines until 1995(!)  They had their own resuscitation chamber.

Mr Potato Head gave up his pipe in 1987 for political correctness

Play Doh was originally invented as a wallpaper cleaner

Six Lego bricks can be fitted together in over 102 million combinations

‘Damp’ is the term for gas in mines and comes from the German ‘Dampf’ meaning fog or vapour

1635 Have spent the last three hours cycling around some of Cannock Chase, which reminds me of the New Forest with it's mix of heath and woodland, and I’m now on my way to Lichfield to look at the cathedral before I find my digs for the night.  The ol’ right knee is beginning to throb - I noticed this yesterday.

Central Lichfield puts me mind of  Salisbury with straight streets in a grid, individual shops and a market place. There is more to Lichfield than it’s cathedral with it’s self-styled soubriquet of the ‘City of Philosophers’, being associated with Garrick, Dr Johnson and Erasmus Darwin.

I have seen the cathedral from a distance but have never been inside.  Lots and lots of carved heads around the place - rather gloomy inside but then it's a gloomy day.   Outside it has three spires (unique?), a West Front jam packed with statuary of kings and saints and it’s built in a lovely, warm salmon pink stone stained black here and there by the not-so-lovely Midlands air.  The Close is compact with dog-collared clergy or occasional tourist wandering around and the cathedral school students trailing between lessons chattering.  

The staff are welcoming so I give a donation. The organist is playing and suddenly the choir practises their evensong hymns – it’s amazing how the building comes alive - a lovely acoustic.

I fall in surreptitiously with a cleric giving a guided tour to what I think are a group of volunteers and learn a few things – he is enthusiastic and very proud of the carved 8th century angel Gabriel that was found under the floor in 2003. It was believed to have been hit 3 times with axes by Vikings trying to get the gold behind it.  I take a closer look - Gabriel has a sort of ‘Mona Lisa’ enigmatic smile on his face!   Lichfield has seen it’s fair share of strife as it was badly damaged during the Civil War, with the Chapter House the only part remaining with a roof.

1730  I stay for the evensong where the choir sings ‘Love Divine All Loves Excelling’ to the tune by Howard Goodall.  Beautiful tune and, to my mind, changes the whole character of the hymn.  Apparently Goodall struggled for quite a while but stepped into the shower one day and by the end had composed it in his head.  ‘Given to me like a gift’ he said.    Check out this link is you don’t know what I am talking about  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tis8E7IZDBU .

Make my way across the city to the b and b.  Large room, not ensuite, but doesn’t matter. An all-you-can-eat Chinese meal in the town sets me up for the night.