The visit took almost three years to plan, according to Michael Fabricant, a member of the British House of Commons and the one responsible for organizing the trip.
The idea for the visit came after firefighters from Lichfield, England came to the United States to help in the aftermath of the events of Sept. 11, 2001. Mr. Fabricant said it was clear there was a wealth of goodwill toward the United States and he wanted to build on that.
He organized a trip for 23 people from Lichfield, England, including the Deputy Mayor of Lichfield, the past Deputy Mayor and city councilors.
The English visitors stayed in Boston for three days before starting their tour of Connecticut. The group visited the White Flower Farm and attended services at the First Congregational Church on Sunday. They also visited Woodbury, toured the state Capitol and Mark Twain House in Hartford and visited the White Memorial Foundation and Haight Vineyard.
On Tuesday the group attended the Board of Selectmen meeting and were also expected to visit with Rep. Nancy Johnson.
"In the 21st Century, distance is irrelevant," Mr. Fabricant said at the Selectmen's meeting, adding that e-mails are a quick way to communicate and phone calls are less costly than they used to be.
Mr. Fabricant said his dream was for the two Litchfields (or Lichfields, depending on the spelling) to form a sister relationship.
"The bonds between the United States and the United Kingdom are undeniable and are born of a common language, common legal system and a common heritage," Mr. Fabricant wrote in an e-mail announcing the group's trip. "I am keen that we build relaxed, personal and enduring friendships. This might lead to closer commercial and tourist ties in the future that will benefit both our areas."
His ultimate goal is for countries with "likeminded people with similar languages and legal systems to join some sort of confederation," he said.
Lichfield's Deputy Mayor presented the Board of Selectmen with gifts for the town's historical society, which included a plaque of Lichfield, England, a print of one of its cathedrals from the 1800s and a book on the history of Lichfield.
First Selectman Jerry Zinn displayed a silver plate that was given to the town from Lichfield visitors in 1969.
Following the selectmen's meeting, town leaders and the visitors from England went to The Village Restaurant on West Street. Mr. Zinn said it was the closest thing he could find to an "American version of a pub."