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Lichfield Cathedral is an Anglican cathedral in Lichfield, Staffordshire. A church was first built on the site in 700 by Bishop Headda to house the bones of Saint Chad of Mercia. The original wooden building was replaced by a Norman cathedral made from stone, which in turn was replaced by the present Gothic structure, begun in 1195. The cathedral suffered extensive damage during the English Civil War: the central spire was demolished, the roofs ruined and the stained-glass windows smashed. Bishop John Hacket began the restoration in the 1660s, but the damage was not fully repaired until the 19th century. This photograph shows the exterior of the cathedral as seen from the northeast.Photograph credit: David Iliff