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We have chosen the restoration and maintenance of the St. Albans chapel within the Cathedral in Hertsfordshire as our charitable work. Any profits realized from the sale of ties and pins sold at the Gatherings (after expenses), will be contributed to the Restoration Fund. |
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Capsule history of St Albans Cathedral
St Albans Cathedral, the cathedral and abbey church of St Alban commemorating Alban, a Roman soldier who was reputedly the first person in England to die for the Christian faith. The martyrdom is said to have occurred in 309. A shrine was certainly in existence by 429 and a monastery was established in the town of St Albans in 793. The Benedictines were ejected in 1539 when the building became a (very large) parish church, and other monastic structures were pulled down as part of the Dissolution of the Monasteries.
The diocese of St Albans dates from 1877. Some 170 m (550 ft) long, the cathedral is largely of Norman date, built by Abbot Paul of Caen after 1077. Bricks and other material salvaged from the ruins of the Roman city of Verulamium were extensively used. The wealth of the abbey permitted extensive rebuilding during the 13th and 14th centuries: the Lady Chapel of 1309-1326 is especially ornate. The cathedral suffered badly from insensitive restoration work in the 19th century—the coarse west front was designed by the amateur architect Lord Grimthorpe—but many fittings and monuments survive. The tomb of Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester, brother of Henry V, is particularly splendid.
"St Albans Cathedral," Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2005 |
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Views of St. Albans Cathedral. This shows the West End which incorporates the main entrance door. The Norman part of the building, including the tower, was started in 1077 and was constructed using flint and Roman bricks. This was originally an abbey church and was designated a cathedral in 1877. It has now been in use for over 900 years although this has been a site of continuous Christian worship for seventeen and a half centuries |
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This view is from near the West End looking back towards the crossing and the North Transept with its brick and flint construction. The Great Tower, with walls seven feet thick, is constructed from Roman bricks which were taken from the ruined town of Verulamium nearby. At 550 feet it has the longest nave in the country. |
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This view shows the East End incorporating the Lady Chapel - a 14th Century extension. This part was used as a school for 300 years and was restored for worship just over 100 years ago. The part projecting on the left from the Great Tower is the South Transept. |
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Shrine of St Alban People have been coming here for over 1700 years to honor Alban. This chapel is today a most holy place of pilgrimage, as it has been for so long. When the monastery was dissolved the pedestal you see was destroyed and has now been reconstructed.
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