Three-spired cathedrals in the United Kingdom

There are only three cathedrals in the United Kingdom with three spires. Lichfield Cathedral, dating from the 13th and early 14th centuries is the only medieval cathedral. Between the 14th and 16th centuries Lincoln Cathedral also had three spires, but the central spire collapsed in a storm and was not rebuilt thereafter. Both Truro Cathedral, Cornwall (late 19th–early 20th century) and St Mary's Episcopal Cathedral, Edinburgh (late 19th century) were built in the Gothic Revival style and also have three spires.

Lichfield Cathedral is situated in the cathedral city of Lichfield. The cathedral dates from various periods in 13th and early 14th centuries, although this can not be allocated to fixed years, since the archives were destroyed during the English Civil War. The internal length is 370 ft (113 m), and the breadth of the nave 68 ft (21 m).

The walls of the nave lean outwards slightly, this was caused by the weight of stone used in the ceiling vaulting, some 200-300 tons of which was removed during renovation work to prevent the walls leaning further. The windows of the Lady Chapel contain some of the finest medieval Flemish painted glass in existence. It came from the Abbey of Herckenrode (now in Belgium) in 1801 having been purchased by Brooke Boothby when that Abbey was dissolved during the Napoleonic Wars. It was then sold on to the Cathedral for the same price. It dates from the 1530s. There are also some fine windows by Betton and Evans (1819), and many fine late 19th century windows, particularly those by Charles Eamer Kempe.

There were three sieges of Lichfield during the period 1643-1646 as the Cathedral was surrounded by a ditch and defensive walls, and made a natural fortress. The Royalists were defeated in March 1643, and the Parliamentarians a month later. In 1646, the Parliamentarians were once again victorious, but the Cathedral suffered extensive damage: the central spire was demolished, the roofs ruined and all the stained glass smashed.

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