Saint Chad was one of three brothers born in Northumbria, and was educated at the monastery on Lindisfarne under Saint Aidan. In 664 he succeeded his brother, Cedd as Abbot of Lastingham.
In 669 that Chad became Bishop of Lichfield and today Saint Chad’s Well is to be found in the churchyard at Stowe on the north side of Lichfield town centre.
When he died on March 2 672 his body was first buried in Saint Mary,s Church where miracles of healing were soon being reported.
Later the shrine of Saint Chad was a popular place of pilgrimage when an elaborate shrine was erected in the present cathedral. Many place names have associations with Saint Chad. One example is Hanmer in North East Wales that in the Domesday Book is simply called “St. Chad’s”. Within the ancient parish is Cadney (Chad’s island?) and nearby is the Gospel Meadow in which is the Gospel Pool. Less than a mile to the north is Llys Beddyd (lake of Baptism), Eglwys Cross (‘Church Cross’) and a few hundred yards from the parish church of Saint Chad is a holy well. Another instance is the oldest church in Shrewsbury built on a hill within a loop of the Severn which, at that time must have almost been an island and was dedicated to Saint Chad, was characteristic of a Celtic monastic settlement.