Lichfield on the main routes from London to the north-west and Birmingham to the north-east. It also became a centre of great intellectual activity, being the home of many famous people including Samuel Johnson, David Garrick, Erasmus Darwin and Anna Seward; this prompted Johnson's remark that Lichfield was "a city of philosophers". In the 1720s Daniel Defoe described Lichfield as 'a fine, neat, well-built, and indifferent large city', the principal town in the region after Chester. During the late 18th and early 19th century much of the medieval city was rebuilt with the red-brick Georgian style buildings still to be seen
Lichfield Democrats (1). The Right Worshipful the Mayor of Lichfield (currently Councillor David Leytham ) is the civic head of the Council and chairs Council meetings. The Council also appoints a Leader of Council to be the main person responsible for leadership of the Council's political and policy matters. The Council's current Leader is Councillor Bernard Cocksey. Lichfield is one of only 15 towns and cities in England and Wales which appoints a Sheriff. The Lichfield constituency sent two members to the parliament of 1304 and to a few succeeding parliaments, but the representation did not become regular until 1552; in