[Illustration:  WHERE OFFA’S DYKE CROSSES THE MAIS ROAD.]

[Illustration:  LICHFIELD CATHEDRAL]

Daylight found us at the foot of the famous Cannock Chase.  The Chase covered about 30,000 acres of land, which had been purposely kept out of cultivation in olden times in order to form a happy hunting-ground for the Mercian Kings, who for 300 years ruled over that part of the country.  The best known of these kings was Offa, who in the year 757 had either made or repaired the dyke that separated England from Wales, beginning at Chepstow in Monmouthshire, and continuing across the country into Flintshire.  It was not a dyke filled with water, as for the most part it passed over a very hilly country where water was not available, but a deep trench sunk on the Welsh side, the soil being thrown up on the English side, forming a bank about four yards high, of which considerable portions were still visible, and known as “Offa’s Dyke.”  Cannock Chase, which covered the elevations to our right, was still an ideal hunting-country, as its surface was hilly and diversified, and a combination of moorland and forest, while the mansions of the noblemen who patronised the “Hunt” surrounded it on all sides, that named “Beau-Desert,” the hall or hunting-box of the Marquis of Anglesey, being quite near to our road.

We soon arrived at Lichfield, and on entering the town the three lofty and ornamental spires of the cathedral, which from their smart appearance were known as “The Three Ladies,” immediately attracted our attention.  But for these, travellers entering Lichfield by this road might easily have passed the cathedral without noticing it, as it stands on low and rather swampy ground, where its fine proportions do not show to advantage.

The Close of the cathedral, which partially surrounded it, was heavily fortified in the time of the Civil War, causing the cathedral to be very badly damaged, for it suffered no less than three different sieges by the armies of the Parliament.

[Illustration:  ST. CHAD’S WELL, LICHFIELD.]

The cathedral was dedicated to St. Chad, but whether he was the same St. Chad whose cave was in the rocky bank of the River Don, and about whom we had heard farther north, or not, we could not ascertain.  He must have been a water-loving saint, as a well in the town formed by a spring of pure water was known as St. Chad’s Well, in which the saint stood naked while he prayed, upon a stone which had been preserved by building it into the wall of the well.  There was also in the cathedral at one time the “Chapel of St. Chad’s Head,” but this had been almost destroyed during the first siege of 1643.  The ancient writings of the patron saint in the early Welsh language had fortunately been preserved.  Written on parchment and ornamented with rude drawings of the Apostles and others, they were known as St. Chad’s Gospels, forming one of the most treasured relics belonging to the cathedral, but, sad to relate, had been removed by stealth, it was said, from the Cathedral of Llandaff.