HERTFORDSHIRE
ST ALBANS (Mitred Benedictine)

303, A church built to the memory of Alban, proto-martyr of Britain and Roman soldier—793, Destroyed by the Saxon invaders—King Offa founds a monastery and builds a second church in honour of St Alban—1077, Paul de Caen, first abbot, begins to rebuild the church—During his life the eastern part of the nave, the transepts and the central tower completed—1115, The church consecrated by the Bishop of Lincoln in the presence of Henry I. and Queen Maud—1154, Nicholas, Bishop of St Albans, chosen Pope (Adrian IV.). He “granted to the abbot of this abbey that as St Alban was the first martyr of England, so this abbot should be the first of all the abbots of England in order and dignity” (Dugdale’s Monasticon)—1218, Pope Honorious “confirms all lands and privileges”—1349, Thomas de la Mare becomes abbot—The captive King John of France entrusted to his care—1381, The monastery plays a prominent part in the Peasant Rising—1464, The abbey stripped of its valuables by the victorious Queen Margaret after the second battle of St Albans—1521, Wolsey becomes abbot—1539, The abbey surrendered by Richard Boreham, last abbot, to the commissioners of Henry VIII.—1553, Granted to the Mayor and burgesses for a parish church and grammar school—1688, The scheme for the restoration of the building supported by public subscription—1878, The diocese of St Albans founded—Thomas Leigh Claughton becomes first bishop—1879, West front built by Lord Grimthorpe—1885, Restoration of nave completed.

THE quiet little town of St Albans in Hertfordshire has sprung up on the site of the Roman city Verulamium, the ruined walls of which are still to be seen. Here, according to the legend, Alban, the proto-martyr of Britain, was born. Converted to Christianity by the priest Amphibalus—to whom he had given shelter—he refused to renounce his faith, and was beheaded. The martyrdom took place{162} outside the walls of the town, on the exact site on which now stands the cathedral—formerly the abbey—of St Albans. A small church was erected on the hill a few years after St Alban’s death, and later a second church was planned in expiation of a still greater crime. Ethelbert of East Anglia had been treacherously murdered by his father-in-law, Offa, King of Mercia, who now sought to salve his conscience by building a monastery in honour of St Alban. Of this second church (the first was only a temporary shelter for the relics of the saint, which were supposed to have been miraculously discovered by King Offa) there are now but few traces. The town of St Albans lies on a high hill, while the Ver, a stream supposed to have burst forth miraculously to assuage the thirst of Alban the martyr, flows along the peaceful valley below.

The view of the massive structure of the abbey church is from all points impressive. The great length of the nave with its magnificent western front, the pinnacled transepts, the choir and Lady chapel, all crowned by the............