A stone from one of Lichfield Cathedral's spires was dedicated in an Essex chapel this weekend.
The Bishop of Chelmsford, the Rt Revd Dr Guli Francis-Dehqani, and the Dean of Chelmsford, the Very Revd Dr Jessica Martin, were welcomed by Bishop Michael Ipgrave and Canon Gregory Platten to Lichfield Cathedral late in June. During their visit, they collected a stone that will become part of the altar at St Peter’s Chapel, Bradwell-on-Sea. Together they celebrated the Eucharist and Bishop Michael blessed the stone before it began its journey to Chelmsford Diocese.
There is a historic link between Lichfield and Bradwell through their founding fathers - medieval brothers St Cedd and St Chad. Cedd and his brother Chad studied together in the monastery school of Lindisfarne. Cedd became a leading missionary bishop of that era, and he was first assigned a mission in the Midlands. Later, he led the mission to the East Saxons and built the chapel of St Peter-on-the-Wall at Bradwell-on-Sea around 654AD, while Chad later became Bishop of Lichfield.
Their visit in mid June followed a commission given at the close of the 2025 Bradwell Pilgrimage – to bring a stone back to Essex from one of Lichfield Cathedral’s spires.
St Peter’s Chapel already contains stones from sites associated with early Christian mission, including Iona, Lindisfarne and Lastingham. The addition of a stone from Lichfield reflects both this heritage and compliments the “Living Stones” theme of this year’s Bradwell pilgrimage which concludes tomorrow, 4 July, as a reminder that the faith Cedd and Chad carried across Britain is a living inheritance, still being built upon today.
Dean Jessica, said:
“Visiting Lichfield and meeting Bishop Michael and Canon Gregory was a real joy, and a reminder that the connection between our two dioceses is not simply a piece of ancient history we carry around with us. Cedd and Chad were brothers shaped by the same faith and the same calling, sent in different directions to serve different people and in some sense, Chelmsford and Lichfield still are. Embedding this stone in the altar at Bradwell feels like the right way to mark that: a small, permanent sign that these stories belong together.”
Bishop Guli, added:
“We were warmly welcomed at Lichfield Cathedral, and it was wonderful to celebrate the bond between our two dioceses. The story we share - of Cedd and Chad - is not merely part of our history, but a living faith that continues to unite and inspire us. This stone stands as a powerful symbol of that story: of faith, mission and our shared heritage. I am delighted that it will be placed within the altar at St Peter’s Chapel in Bradwell-on-Sea and I look forward to celebrating its new home at this year’s Bradwell Pilgrimage.”
In response, Bishop Michael said:
"It was wonderful to host Bishop Guli and Dean Jessica and share a material symbol of our historical and spiritual connectedness. Of old the Mercians, Northumbrians and East Angles considered themselves different peoples - yet now we see ourselves together in one church and indeed as compatriots in a united kingdom. Cedd and Chad played their part in sharing the faith that had come circuitously from the middle-east and inspire us to continue in their footsteps remebering that 'In Christ there is no east and west, Jew and Gentile, slave and free'."
Images: Phil Barnes/Lichfield Cathedral