stalbanscathedral 

St. Albans Cathedral (wikipedia / official site), known locally by it’s former name of St. Albans Abbey, is a magnificant thousand year old church.

It takes it’s name from Alban, a citizen of the important Roman city of Verulamium, as St. Albans was known during Roman times, who offered his own life in exchange for that of a local Christian priest who had been captured by the Romans. A shrine to Alban, who was made England’s first patron Saint, can be found within St. Albans Cathedral and is purported to contain Alban’s bones.

The Cathedral stands106 metres (348 feet) tall and has the longest naive of any cathedral in England. It’s also the second longest cathedral in England.

The Cathedral has had sections rebuilt and added to over the years, as can be evidenced by the different types of stone and brick used, ranging from Roman bricks and stone taken from the ruined city of Verulamium, red and yellow carved stones, and even the odd Victorian clay brick.

A real gem within the Cathedral itself is a small statue of a Roman soldier, found within the foundations of the cathedral during excavation work. This can be found in the southwest corner of the Cathedral.

The Cathedral contains it’s own cafe and gift shop.

Adjacent to St. Albans is an original gate entrance to the city which was later used as a prison and is now part of St. Albans School. Beneath the Cathedral is sloping parkland that gently rolls towards the River Ver and the lakes of the city park.

Other photos of St. Albans Cathedral: Winter & Night

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