Historic Treasures of St. Albans

A Journey Through Roman England

Aug 19, 2008 Angela D. Stancar

St. Albans is a stone's throw from London, located just north of the M25 motorway in Hertfordshire, and offers a wide range of historical and cultural sites and events.

St. Albans dates back more than two thousand years when Verlamion, which means “the settlement above the Marsh,” emerged during the Celtic Iron Age. Verlamion eventually grew into Verulamium, one of the largest towns in Britain, following the Roman conquest in A.D. 43, but it was nearly destroyed almost twenty years later in Boudica’s revolt of 60/61. The town was rebuilt in ornate style and featured impressive homes, temples, a theatre, and public baths. In 275, Verulamium was encircled by gated walls, remnants of which can still be seen today.

As Verulamium’s age of prosperity declined after two devastating fires and the departure of the Roman Army in 410, the monastic settlement of St. Albans was growing on the hill above. The town was named after England’s first Christian martyr, Alban, who was killed in the third century A.D. for giving shelter to a Christian fleeing from pagan persecution and for converting to the so-called “cult of Christianity.” The cathedral supposedly stands on the site where Alban was executed.

Over the centuries, St. Albans developed into a town of major importance – so much so that it was one of four other venues chosen to draft the Magna Carta, the cornerstone of British democracy. The town was ruled by the Abbot until 1539, when tensions between the church and the town came to a head. Britain’s monasteries had already been dissolved in 1529, and in 1539 the abbey was sold to the town. The Charter of Edward VI in 1553 granted St. Albans the right to a mayor and formalized the right to hold markets. St. Albans flourished as a market town until the nineteenth century. In 1877, the town was granted city status, and the former abbey church was recognized as a cathedral.

Today, St. Albans has become a popular commuter town. With excellent transport links to London and the surrounding areas, St. Albans attracts families and young professionals looking for a place to settle away from the bustle of the city as well as tourists who want to discover the charms of a “country town” without traveling far from London.

The Cathedral and Abbey Church of St. Alban

The Cathedral and Abbey Church of St. Alban is the centerpiece of the town, dominating the horizon from nearly every vantage point. The interior of the cathedral is a hodgepodge of architectural styles; even a piece of Verulamium lives today, with bricks from the ancient Roman settlement making up some of the foundations of the cathedral's great tower.

The Market

Established in the tenth century, the city market is one of the oldest and largest street markets in Southeast England. Open on Wednesdays and Saturdays, the market extends through the heart of St. Albans and offers a variety of items from food, flowers, gifts and clothes, to crafts and more unusual items.

Verulamium Museum and Hypocast

Most of the ancient Roman town of Verulamium lies under park and farmland, but what remains is housed in the Verulamium Museum, a Roman-style rotunda which opened in 1939 and boasts an impressive collection of ancient relics, such as pottery and glassware, craftsmen’s tools, coins, and extraordinary mosaics.

Roman Theatre

The ruins of the Roman Theatre are a short walk from the Verulamium Museum. The theatre was originally constructed around A.D. 140 and is the only one of its kind in Britain. Occasionally, open-air productions are still staged here today.

Museum of St. Albans

The Museum of St. Albans takes visitors on a journey of the city's expansive history. Every major era – from the departure of the Romans to the Middle Ages and Victorian period – is represented by fascinating displays and artifacts.

A variety of restaurants and traditional pubs are available when you need respite after a day of sightseeing.

References:

St. Albans District Council

Cathedral and Abbey Church of St. Alban

The copyright of the article Historic Treasures of St. Albans in U.K./Ireland Travel is owned by Angela D. Stancar. Permission to republish Historic Treasures of St. Albans in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Cathedral & Abbey Church of St. Albans