102-526: St Albans Cathedral Choir is an English cathedral choir based in St Albans , Hertfordshire, England. It is made up of around 20 boy choristers aged 7–14 and 12 adult lay clerks . In 2003 it appeared in the coronation scene of the film Johnny English . In addition to the original boys-only choir, there is also St Albans Cathedral Girls' Choir (originally the Abbey Girls' Choir) founded in 1996. The Girls' Choir
204-501: A Pope ( Adrian IV ). Now a public school it has, since 1871, occupied a site to the west of the Abbey and includes the 14th-century Abbey Gateway . One of its buildings was a hat factory, a link with the city's industrial past. On Abbey Mill Lane, the road between the Abbey and the school, are the palaces of the Bishops of St Albans and Hertford and Ye Olde Fighting Cocks , claimed to be
306-517: A de profundis at the tomb of Erkenwald. Later in Hill's mayoralty of (1550) the high altar of St Paul's was removed overnight to be destroyed, an occurrence that provoked a fight in which a man was killed. Hill had ordered, unusually for the time, that St Barnabas's Day would not be kept as a public holiday ahead of these events. Three years later, by October 1553, "Alle the alteres and chappelles in alle Powlles churche" were taken down. In August 1553,
408-490: A forum , basilica and a theatre , much of which were damaged during two fires, one in 155 and the other in around 250. These were repaired and continued in use in the 4th century. The theatre was disused by the end of the 4th century. One of the few extant Roman inscriptions in Britain is found on the remnants of the forum (see Verulamium Forum inscription ). The town was rebuilt in stone rather than timber at least twice over
510-508: A Gucci advert featuring Harry Styles was filmed at a Fish and Chips shop in Fleetville, St Albans. It has also been used in the setting for the fictional town Waltringham , in the TV show Humans . In early 2022 Verulamium Park was used as a filming location for Wonka starring Timothée Chalamet . In December 2007, Sport England published a survey which revealed that residents of St Albans were
612-563: A building in Tudor Street showing the cathedral shrouded in smoke. Lisa Jardine of Queen Mary, University of London , has written: Wreathed in billowing smoke, amidst the chaos and destruction of war, the pale dome stands proud and glorious—indomitable. At the height of that air-raid, Sir Winston Churchill telephoned the Guildhall to insist that all fire-fighting resources be directed at St Paul's. The cathedral must be saved, he said, damage to
714-605: A cathedral, and suggests there was another one in the Roman period. Legends of St Lucius link St Peter upon Cornhill as the centre of the Roman Londinium Christian community. It stands upon the highest point in the area of old Londinium, and it was given pre-eminence in medieval procession on account of the legends. There is, however, no other reliable evidence and the location of the site on the Forum makes it difficult for it to fit
816-538: A close rivalry with Can winning football for the last 3 years and Dec winning Cricket for the last 3 years as well. The Choir is directed by the Master of the Music, currently Andrew Lucas. The Assistant Master of the Music is currently Tom Winpenny. The current Organ Scholar is Oliver Morrell. The assistant master of music at St Albans may also be the Master of Music at St Albans School . For example, John Rutter 's Donkey Carol
918-811: A community radio station. Local newspaper in the town is the St Albans Observer. The mixed character of St Albans and its proximity to London have made it a popular filming location. The Abbey and Fishpool Street areas were used for the pilot episode of the 1960s ecclesiastical TV comedy All Gas and Gaiters . The area of Romeland, directly north of the Abbey Gateway and the walls of the Abbey and school grounds, can be seen masquerading as part of an Oxford college in some episodes of Inspector Morse (and several local pubs also appear). Fishpool Street, running from Romeland to St Michael's village, stood in for Hastings in some episodes of Foyle's War . Life Begins
1020-773: A new civic centre in 1989 adjoining the 1960s City Hall complex, which became known instead as the Alban Arena. St Albans is part of the homonymous parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Established in 1885, it is a county constituency in Hertfordshire, and elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election. St Albans has an oceanic climate ( Köppen climate classification Cfb ) similar to most of
1122-529: A normal school week. Choristers are therefore expected to sing at the Cathedral both before and after school on Tuesdays and Thursdays, on which days Choral Evensong is sung, and before school on Mondays, in addition to an evening rehearsal with the Lay Clerks on Fridays and the commitment of up to four services over the weekend. A typical week will involve around 18 hours of singing, and over his seven-year career in
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#17328947417011224-516: A result of this action, Davies and Sapper George Cameron Wylie were each awarded the George Cross . Davies' George Cross and other medals are on display at the Imperial War Museum , London. One of the best known images of London during the war was a photograph of St Paul's taken on 29 December 1940 during the " Second Great Fire of London " by photographer Herbert Mason, from the roof of
1326-402: A sermon in response, claiming that the lightning strike was a judgement for the irreverent use of the cathedral building. Immediate steps were taken to repair the damage, with the citizens of London and the clergy offering money to support the rebuilding. However, the cost of repairing the building properly was too great for a country and city recovering from a trade depression. Instead, the roof
1428-405: A small amount. On 12 September 1940 a time-delayed bomb that had struck the cathedral was successfully defused and removed by a bomb disposal detachment of Royal Engineers under the command of Temporary Lieutenant Robert Davies . Had this bomb detonated, it would have totally destroyed the cathedral; it left a 100-foot (30 m) crater when later remotely detonated in a secure location. As
1530-654: Is The Tangerines . St Albans Centurions Rugby league Club have their ground at Toulmin Drive, St Albans. They play in the London Premier League. In 2007 and again in 2010 'The Cents', as they are known, won 'the triple' – topping the league, and becoming the Regional and National Champions of the Rugby League Conference Premier Divisions. Old Albanian RFC is a rugby union club that plays at
1632-610: Is a Grade I listed building that was designed in the English Baroque style by Sir Christopher Wren . The cathedral's reconstruction was part of a major rebuilding programme initiated in the aftermath of the Great Fire of London . The earlier Gothic cathedral ( Old St Paul's Cathedral ), largely destroyed in the Great Fire, was a central focus for medieval and early modern London, including Paul's walk and St Paul's Churchyard , being
1734-418: Is also home to Trestle Theatre Company, who have been creating professional, physical storytelling theatre since 1981. Originally known for their work with masks, Trestle collaborates with UK and international artists to unify movement, music and text into a theatrical experience. The Sandpit Theatre is a theatre attached to Sandringham School which hosts plays throughout the year, mainly performances put on by
1836-756: Is dedicated "to Simon Lindley and the choir of St. Albans School". St Albans Cathedral Choir appeared in the 2003 film Johnny English , starring Rowan Atkinson and John Malkovich , as the choir of Westminster Abbey during the coronation scene. St Albans Cathedral Choir most notably hosts the Three Choirs Concert, a key part of the St Albans International Organ Festival . Since 2015, the Choir has accomplished three BBC Radio 3 broadcasts, and has performed in two BBC One television programmes. It has performed with several world-famous choirs,
1938-499: Is formed of 26 girls from local schools, ranging in ages from 8 to 14. They are directed by Tom Winpenny, the assistant Master of Music at the cathedral, and accompanied in services by Oliver Morell, the Cathedral's Organ scholar . Unlike many cathedrals, St Albans does not have its own boarding choir school (although the Choir has strong links with many local day schools, including St Albans School and St Columba's College ), meaning that services and rehearsals have to be fitted around
2040-632: Is home to one of the country's oldest indoor skateparks , the Pioneer Skatepark in Heathlands Drive, next to the former fire station. Its ramps are available to all skateboarders and inliners . A new outside mini ramp was built in March 2005. A second outdoor mini ramp was opened at Easter 2009. St Paul%27s Cathedral#Choir St Paul's Cathedral , formally the Cathedral Church of St Paul
2142-460: Is said to have bestowed great cost on the fabric, and in later times he almost occupied the place of traditionary, founder: the veneration paid to him is second only to that which was rendered to St. Paul. Erkenwald would become a subject of the important High Medieval poem St Erkenwald . King Æthelred the Unready was buried in the cathedral on his death in 1016; the tomb is now lost. The cathedral
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#17328947417012244-678: Is the first non-organist to hold the post since the 12th century. An organ was commissioned from Bernard Smith in 1694. In 1862 the organ from the Panopticon of Science and Art (the Panopticon Organ) was installed in a gallery over the south transept door. The Grand Organ was completed in 1872, and the Panopticon Organ moved to the Victoria Rooms in Clifton in 1873. The Grand Organ
2346-575: Is uncertain. The Roman city of Verulamium , the second-largest town in Roman Britain after Londinium , developed from the Iron Age settlement and was granted the rank of municipium around AD 50, meaning that its citizens had what were known as "Latin Rights", a lesser citizenship status than a colonia possessed. It grew to a significant town, and as such received the attentions of Boudica of
2448-580: The Catuvellauni from about 20 BC until shortly after the Roman invasion of AD 43. The name "Verlamion" is Celtic, meaning "settlement over or by the marsh". The town was on Prae Hill, 2 km (1.2 mi) to the west of modern St Albans, now covered by the village of St Michael's, Verulamium Park and the Gorhambury Estate. Although excavations done in 1996 produced finds which include silver coins from
2550-477: The Iceni in 61, when Verulamium was sacked and burnt on her orders. Excavations preceding the museum's new entrance done in 1996–97 within the centre of the Roman town gave archaeologists the chance to date a black ash layer to 60–65 AD, thus confirming the Roman written record. It grew steadily; by the early 3rd century, it covered an area of about 125 acres (51 ha), behind a deep ditch and wall. Verulamium contained
2652-537: The Metropolitan Tabernacle . The cathedral survived the Blitz although struck by bombs on 10 October 1940 and 17 April 1941. The first strike destroyed the high altar, while the second strike on the north transept left a hole in the floor above the crypt. The latter bomb is believed to have detonated in the upper interior above the north transept and the force was sufficient to shift the entire dome laterally by
2754-697: The 10th most active in England in sports and other fitness activities. 30.8% of the population participate at least 3 times a week for 90 minutes. Clarence Park plays host to St Albans Cricket Club. The club currently runs four Saturday sides, playing in the Saracens Hertfordshire Cricket League and also two Sunday sides in the Chess Valley Cricket League. In 2008 the club's 1st XI won the Hertfordshire League Title. In
2856-429: The 20th century St Albans was a rural market town , a Christian pilgrimage site, and the first coaching stop of the route to and from London , accounting for its numerous old inns. Victorian St Albans was small and had little industry. Its population grew more slowly than London, 8–9% per decade between 1801 and 1861, compared to the 31% per decade growth of London in the same period. The railway arrived in 1858. In 1869
2958-405: The 3rd or 4th century, when Christians were suffering persecution. Alban met a Christian priest fleeing from his persecutors and sheltered him in his house, where he became so impressed with the priest's piety that he converted to Christianity. When the authorities searched Alban's house, he put on the priest's cloak and presented himself in place of his guest. Consequently, he was sentenced to endure
3060-695: The Apostle , is an Anglican cathedral in London , England, the seat of the Bishop of London . The cathedral serves as the mother church of the Diocese of London . It is on Ludgate Hill at the highest point of the City of London . Its dedication in honour of Paul the Apostle dates back to the original church on this site, founded in AD 604. The present structure, which was completed in 1710,
3162-825: The Choir a Chorister will spend approximately six months' worth of that singing in the Cathedral. The Choir goes on tours to other countries every other year to perform concerts, with past tours including the United States, France, the Netherlands , Italy, Germany and, in 2017, Spain, during which it performed concerts in Segovia , Madrid and Alcalá de Henares , and sang at a service in the Church of San Andrés in Madrid. In May 2019 it toured Italy, with performances given in Pesaro and Fano Cathedrals,
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3264-720: The Church of San Paulo in Fano, and Mass at the Basilica di Loreto . The annual Choir Camp was founded by Peter Hurford when he was organist at St Albans and held in the hamlet of Luccombe . The tents used by the Choir remained the same since the first Choir Camp in 1958, with most being army surplus from the Second World War . On the Sunday the Choir would sing Choral Eucharist in St Mary's, Luccombe for
3366-544: The East Saxons reverted to paganism. The fate of the first cathedral building is unknown. Christianity was restored among the East Saxons in the late seventh century and it is presumed that either the Anglo-Saxon cathedral was restored or a new building erected as the seat of bishops such as Cedd , Wine and Erkenwald , the last of whom was buried in the cathedral in 693. Earconwald was consecrated bishop of London in 675, and
3468-771: The Intalink Partnership [1] St Albans has a cultural life, with regular concerts and theatre productions held at venues including Trestle Arts Base , St Albans Abbey, The Horn, The Pioneer Club, Maltings Arts Theatre, the Alban Arena , the Abbey Theatre, St Peter's Church and St Saviour's Church, given by organisations including St Albans Bach Choir, St Albans Cathedral Choir , St Albans Cathedral Girls' Choir, St Albans Symphony Orchestra, St Albans Chamber Choir, St Albans Chamber Opera, The Company of Ten, St Albans Choral Society, and St Albans Organ Theatre. St Albans
3570-463: The Lord Protector's city palace, Somerset House . Crowds were drawn to the north-east corner of the churchyard, St Paul's Cross , where open-air preaching took place. In the Great Fire of London of 1666, Old St Paul's was gutted. While it might have been possible to reconstruct it, a decision was taken to build a new cathedral in a modern style. This course of action had been proposed even before
3672-792: The Old Albanian sports complex. They play in National League 1 the third tier of the English rugby union system . Saracens A team and OA Saints Women's Rugby team also play here. This complex hosts the offices of the Premiership Rugby club Saracens (and have recently moved their home ground to Barnet ). St Albans RFC play at Boggymead Spring in Smallford. Verulamians RFC (formerly Old Verulamians) play at Cotlandswick in London Colney . St Albans
3774-486: The Roman Republic era dating from 90/80 BC. There was evidence of trade with the republic and that a settlement already existed on the site 50 years before Julius Caesar attempted to invade Britain. However, it is believed that the tribal capital was moved to the site by Tasciovanus (around 25 to 5 BC). Cunobelinus may have constructed Beech Bottom Dyke , a defensive earthwork near the settlement whose significance
3876-609: The United Kingdom, after Liverpool Cathedral . Services held at St Paul's have included the funerals of Admiral Lord Nelson , the Duke of Wellington , Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher ; jubilee celebrations for Queen Victoria ; an inauguration service for the Metropolitan Hospital Sunday Fund ; peace services marking the end of the First and Second World Wars ; the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer ;
3978-773: The United Kingdom. St Albans is north-east of the intersection between the M1 and M25 motorways. On the M1, its northern, central and southern junctions are 9, 7 and 6, respectively; on the M25, its western and eastern junctions are 21A and 22 respectively. Notable A-roads serving the city include: Two railway stations serve the city: St Albans is well served by local buses, with frequent services to local villages and major towns including Watford, Harpenden and Luton. Routes are operated predominantly run by Arriva Herts & Essex , Uno , Red Eagle and Sullivan Buses . Buses in Hertfordshire are run under
4080-408: The abbey's powers in the town. Following the dissolution of the abbey in 1539, the rights previously held by it passed to the crown. On 12 May 1553 the town was granted a charter by Edward VI , incorporating it as a borough with a mayor. The borough consisted of the ancient parish of St Albans (also known as the Abbey parish) and parts of the parishes of St Michael and St Peter . The borough
4182-569: The anti-capitalist activists would constitute violence in the name of the Church". The Dean of St Paul's , the Right Revd Graeme Knowles, then resigned too. The encampment was evicted at the end of February 2012, by court order and without violence, as a result of legal action by the City of London Corporation . On 10 October 2019, Safiyya Amira Shaikh , a Muslim convert , was arrested following an MI5 and Metropolitan Police investigation. In September 2019, she had taken photos of
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4284-553: The area that was St Albans Borough prior to 1974 is an unparished area. Within this area, (the Ashley, Batchwood, Clarence, Cunningham, Marshalswick South, St Peters, Sopwell and Verulam wards) a City Neighbourhood Committee of the district council was set up in June 2013 with comparable responsibilities to parish councils for small parks, playgrounds, open spaces, war memorials, allotments and public conveniences. The City and District Council built
4386-616: The associated Anglo-Saxon settlement were founded on the hill outside the Roman city where it was believed St Alban was buried. An archaeological excavation in 1978, directed by Martin Biddle , failed to find Roman remains on the site of the medieval chapter house . As late as the eighth century the Saxon inhabitants of St Albans nearby were aware of their ancient neighbour, which they knew alternatively as Verulamacæstir or, under what H. R. Loyn terms "their own hybrid", Vaeclingscæstir, "the fortress of
4488-404: The borough became the new parishes of St Michael Urban, St Peter Urban and Sandridge Urban. The part of St Stephen within the borough was absorbed by the parish of St Albans. The parishes that were formed outside the borough, that is St Michael Rural , St Peter Rural , Sandridge Rural and the reduced St Stephen, became part of St Albans Rural District on 28 December 1894. St Albans Town Hall
4590-454: The building was deteriorating. The English Reformation under Henry VIII and Edward VI (accelerated by the Chantries Acts ) led to the destruction of elements of the interior ornamentation and the chapels, shrines , and chantries . The Reformation would come to include the removal of the cathedral's collection of relics, which by the sixteenth century was understood to include: In October 1538, an image of St Erkenwald, probably from
4692-412: The cathedral by the suffragettes was attempted on 13 June 1914, however the bomb was again discovered before it could explode. This attempted bombing occurred two days after a bomb had exploded at Westminster Abbey , which damaged the Coronation Chair and caused a mass panic for the exits. Several other churches were bombed at this time, such as St Martin-in-the-Fields church in Trafalgar Square and
4794-455: The cathedral's interior. While trying to radicalise others using the Telegram messaging software , she planned to attack the cathedral and other targets such as a hotel and a train station using explosives . Shaikh pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life imprisonment . The size and location of St Paul's has made it an ideal setting for Christian services marking great national events. The opportunity for long processions culminating in
4896-525: The church and subsequently promoted the cult of St Alban. A few traces of the Roman city remain visible, such as parts of the city walls , a hypocaust – still in situ under a mosaic floor, and the theatre, which is on land belonging to the Earl of Verulam , as well as items in the museum. Further remains beneath nearby agricultural land have only had a few exploratory trenches, which have never been fully excavated and were seriously threatened by deep ploughing , which ceased in 2005 after compensation
4998-407: The crossing. After the Fire, it was at first thought possible to retain a substantial part of the old cathedral, but ultimately the entire structure was demolished in the early 1670s. In July 1668 Dean William Sancroft wrote to Wren that he was charged by the Archbishop of Canterbury , in agreement with the Bishops of London and Oxford, to design a new cathedral that was "Handsome and noble to all
5100-407: The dean and chapter were cited to appear before Queen Mary's commissioners. Some of the buildings in the St Paul's churchyard were sold as shops and rental properties, especially to printers and booksellers. In 1561 the spire was destroyed by a lightning strike, an event that Roman Catholic writers claimed was a sign of God's judgment on England's Protestant rulers. Bishop James Pilkington preached
5202-418: The dean, three residentiary canons (one of whom is, exceptionally, lay), one "additional member of chapter and canon non-residentiary" (ordained), and two lay canons. Each has a different responsibility in the running of the cathedral. As of October 2022: The Director of Music is Andrew Carwood . Carwood was appointed to succeed Malcolm Archer as Director of Music, taking up the post in September 2007. He
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#17328947417015304-422: The door is £25 for adults (January 2024) but no charges are made to worshippers attending services, or for private prayer. The nearest London Underground station is St Paul's , which is 130 yards (120 m) away from St Paul's Cathedral. The location of Londinium 's original cathedral is unknown, but legend and medieval tradition claims it was St Peter upon Cornhill . St Paul is an unusual attribution for
5406-460: The dramatic approach up Ludgate Hill, the open area and steps at the west front, the great nave and the space under the dome are all well suited for ceremonial occasions. St Paul's can seat many more people than any other church in London, and in past centuries, the erection of temporary wooden galleries inside allowed for congregations exceeding 10,000. In 1935, the dean, Walter Matthews , wrote: No description in words can convey an adequate idea of
5508-423: The ends of it and to the reputation of the City and the nation". The design process took several years, but a design was finally settled and attached to a royal warrant, with the proviso that Wren was permitted to make any further changes that he deemed necessary. The result was the present St Paul's Cathedral, still the second largest church in Britain, with a dome proclaimed as the finest in the world. The building
5610-434: The extension of the city boundaries was opposed by the Earl of Verulam and many of the townsfolk, but there was rapid expansion and much building at the end of the century, and between 1891 and 1901 the population grew by 37%. In 1877, in response to a public petition, Queen Victoria issued the second royal charter, which granted city status to the borough and Cathedral status to the former Abbey Church. The new diocese
5712-433: The fabric would sap the morale of the country. On 29 July 1981, the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer was held at the cathedral. The couple selected St Paul's over Westminster Abbey , the traditional site of royal weddings, because the cathedral offered more seating. Extensive copper, lead and slate renovation work was carried out on the Dome in 1996 by John B. Chambers. A 15-year restoration project—one of
5814-426: The fire. The task of designing a replacement structure was officially assigned to Sir Christopher Wren on 30 July 1669. He had previously been put in charge of the rebuilding of churches to replace those lost in the Great Fire. More than 50 city churches are attributable to Wren. Concurrent with designing St Paul's, Wren was engaged in the production of his five Tracts on Architecture. Wren had begun advising on
5916-475: The first bishop to the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of the East Saxons and their king, Sæberht . Sæberht's uncle and overlord, Æthelberht , king of Kent , built a church dedicated to St Paul in London, as the seat of the new bishop. It is assumed, although not proved, that this first Anglo-Saxon cathedral stood on the same site as the later medieval and the present cathedrals. On the death of Sæberht in about 616, his pagan sons expelled Mellitus from London, and
6018-419: The first floor were connected by a flight of spiral stairs. Another flight rises the whole height of the tower by 93 narrow steps and gave access to the living chamber, the clock and the bell without disturbing the tenant of the shop. Two battles of the Wars of the Roses took place in or near the town. The First Battle of St Albans was fought on 22 May 1455 within the town, and the Second Battle of St Albans
6120-401: The followers of Wæcla", possibly a pocket of British-speakers remaining separate in an increasingly Saxonised area. The medieval town grew on the hill to the east of Wæclingacaester where the Benedictine Abbey of St Albans was founded by Ulsinus in 793. There is some evidence that the original site was higher up the hill than the present building, which was begun in 1077. St Albans Abbey
6222-477: The house of the Lord." The first regular service was held on the following Sunday. Opinions of Wren's cathedral differed, with some loving it: "Without, within, below, above, the eye / Is filled with unrestrained delight", while others hated it: "There was an air of Popery about the gilded capitals, the heavy arches ... They were unfamiliar, un-English ...". St. Paul's was the target of two suffragette bombing attacks in 1913 and 1914 respectively. This
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#17328947417016324-483: The important Roman Town; and, the St Albans Museum + Gallery , located in the old St Albans Town Hall , which focuses on the history of the town and of Saint Alban. Because of its proximity to London, television signals are received from the Crystal Palace TV transmitter, placing St Albans in the BBC London and ITV London areas. The local radio stations are served by BBC Three Counties Radio on 92.1 FM, Heart Hertfordshire on 96.6 FM and Mix 92.6 on 92.6FM,
6426-479: The largest ever undertaken in the UK—was completed on 15 June 2011. In October 2011 an anti-capitalism Occupy London encampment was established in front of the cathedral, after failing to gain access to the London Stock Exchange at Paternoster Square nearby. The cathedral's finances were affected by the ensuing closure. It was claimed that the cathedral was losing revenue of £20,000 per day. Canon Chancellor Giles Fraser resigned, asserting his view that "evicting
6528-446: The launch of the Festival of Britain ; and the thanksgiving services for the Silver , Golden , Diamond , and Platinum Jubilees and the 80th and 90th birthdays of Queen Elizabeth II . St Paul's Cathedral is the central subject of much promotional material, as well as of images of the dome surrounded by the smoke and fire of the Blitz . The cathedral is a working church with hourly prayer and daily services. The tourist entry fee at
6630-440: The legendary stories. In 1995, a large fifth-century building on Tower Hill was excavated, and has been claimed as a Roman basilica, possibly a cathedral, although this is speculative. The Elizabethan antiquarian William Camden argued that a temple to the goddess Diana had stood during Roman times on the site occupied by the medieval St Paul's Cathedral. Wren reported that he had found no trace of any such temple during
6732-411: The majestic beauty of a solemn national religious ceremony in St Paul's. It is hard to believe that there is any other building in the world that is so well adapted to be the setting of such symbolical acts of communal worship. National events attended by the royal family, government ministers and officers of state include national services of thanksgiving , state funerals and a royal wedding . Some of
6834-406: The most notable examples are: St Paul's Cathedral is a busy church with four or five services every day, including Matins , Eucharist and Evening Prayer or Choral Evensong. In addition, the cathedral has many special services associated with the City of London, its corporation, guilds and institutions. The cathedral, as the largest church in London, also has a role in many state functions such as
6936-636: The most recent examples being the 2017 Three Choirs Concert, when it performed jointly with St Paul's Cathedral Choir and Temple Church Choir , and the 2019 Three Choirs Concert, with the Chapel Choir of Jesus College, Cambridge and the choirs of Salisbury Cathedral . St Albans The Clock Tower , St Albans ( / s ən t ˈ ɔː l b ən z / ) is a cathedral city in Hertfordshire , England, east of Hemel Hempstead and west of Hatfield , 20 miles (32 km) north-west of London , 8 miles (13 km) south-west of Welwyn Garden City and 11 miles (18 km) south-east of Luton . St Albans
7038-400: The next 150 years. Roman occupation ended between 400 and 450 AD. The body of St Alban was probably buried outside the city walls in a Roman cemetery near the present cathedral . His hillside grave became a place of pilgrimage. Recent investigation has uncovered a basilica there, indicating the oldest continuous site of Christian worship in Great Britain. In 429 Germanus of Auxerre visited
7140-486: The oldest pub in England. Between 1403 and 1412 Thomas Wolvey was engaged to build a clock tower in the Market Place. It is the only extant medieval town belfry in England. The original bell, named for the Archangel Gabriel sounds F-natural and weighs one ton. Gabriel sounded at 4 am for the Angelus and at 8 or 9 pm for the curfew. The ground floor of the tower was a shop until the 20th century. The first- and second-floor rooms were designed as living chambers. The shop and
7242-440: The parishioners, and on each day the choristers and layclerks would go on hikes, often over ten miles in length, around the Somerset countryside. The Camp celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2008. The Choir also holds an annual cricket match and football match using the grounds of local schools. The games are played between the two 'sides' of the Choir, known in the English choral tradition as Decani and Cantoris . Dec and Can have
7344-442: The population of the enlarged borough was 25,593, growing to 28,624 in 1931. It expanded again in 1935 as part of a county review order gaining more of St Michael Rural (890 acres), St Peter Rural (436 acres) and St Stephen (712 acres). The population of the borough was 44,098 in 1951 and 50,293 in 1961. The borough was abolished on 1 April 1974 and St Albans became part of the new, larger St Albans City and District . City status
7446-599: The previous two seasons, the first XI came 5th (2011) and 4th (2012) in division one. The local football team is St Albans City FC : its stadium is on the edge of Clarence Park and the team won promotion from the Conference South League in 2005–06. It played in the Nationwide Conference Division of the Football Conference for the 2006–07 season, but finished at the bottom of the table and
7548-400: The punishments that were to be inflicted upon the priest, unless he renounced Christianity. Alban refused and was taken for execution. In later legends, his head rolled downhill after execution and a well sprang up where it stopped. There was an Iron Age settlement known as, Verlamion , or Verlamio, near the site of the present city, the centre of Tasciovanus ' power and a major centre of
7650-510: The pupils of Sandringham School. The school also hosts Best Theatre Arts, a part-time theatre school for children aged 4 to 16. Furthermore, St Albans is home to many music acts such as Enter Shikari , Friendly Fires , Maximum Love , The Zombies , Trash Boat and Your Demise . The Odyssey Cinema (formerly the Odeon) on London Road is an independent, arthouse cinema that was restored and re-opened in 2014. Originally opened in 1931, it stands on
7752-473: The repair of the Old St Paul's in 1661, five years before the fire in 1666. The proposed work included renovations to interior and exterior to complement the classical facade designed by Inigo Jones in 1630. Wren planned to replace the dilapidated tower with a dome, using the existing structure as a scaffold. He produced a drawing of the proposed dome which shows his idea that it should span nave and aisles at
7854-553: The service celebrating the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II. The cathedral is generally open daily to tourists and has a regular programme of organ recitals and other performances. The Bishop of London is Sarah Mullally , whose appointment was announced in December 2017 and whose enthronement took place in May 2018. The cathedral chapter is currently composed of seven individuals:
7956-530: The shrine, was delivered to the master of the king's jewels. Other images may have survived, at least for a time. More systematic iconoclasm happened in the reign of Edward VI: the Grey Friar's Chronicle reports that the rood and other images were destroyed in November 1547. In late 1549, at the height of the iconoclasm of the reformation, Sir Rowland Hill altered the route of his Lord Mayor's day procession and said
8058-470: The site of St Paul's Cross . The cathedral is one of the most famous and recognisable sights of London. Its dome, surrounded by the spires of Wren's City churches, has dominated the skyline for over 300 years. At 365 ft (111 m) high, it was the tallest building in London from 1710 to 1963. The dome is still one of the highest in the world. St Paul's is the second-largest church building in area in
8160-646: The site of the Alpha Picture House, Hertfordshire's first cinema, which was opened in 1908 by film-making pioneer Arthur Melbourne-Cooper . The Watercress nature reserve is by the River Ver and is run by the Watercress Wildlife Association. St Albans Museums runs two museums: Verulamium Museum , which tells the story of everyday life in Roman Britain using objects from the excavations of
8262-416: The start of a sermon. A bomb was heard ticking and discovered as people were entering the cathedral. It was made out of potassium nitrate . Had it exploded, the bomb likely would have destroyed the historic bishop's throne and other parts of the cathedral. The remains of the device, which was made partly out of a mustard tin, are now on display at the City of London Police Museum . A second bombing of
8364-421: The statues on the roof added in the 1720s. In 1716 the total costs amounted to £1,095,556 (£207 million in 2023). On 2 December 1697, 31 years and 3 months after the Great Fire destroyed Old St Paul's, the new cathedral was consecrated for use. The Right Reverend Henry Compton , Bishop of London, preached the sermon. It was based on the text of Psalm 122 , "I was glad when they said unto me: Let us go into
8466-466: The title sequence of the TV series Porridge , starring Ronnie Barker . The 2001 film Birthday Girl starring Ben Chaplin and Nicole Kidman was also partly filmed in St Albans. More recently, several scenes from the film Incendiary , starring Michelle Williams , Ewan McGregor and Matthew Macfadyen , were filmed in St Albans, focusing in particular on the Abbey and the Abbey Gateway. In 2018,
8568-453: The urban area of St Albans (the pre-1974 borough) is an unparished area , directly administered by the city/district and county councils. The early administrative history of the town of St Albans is closely tied to St Albans Abbey . The town was effectively controlled by the abbey through the Middle Ages , but there were frequent disputes between the abbot and townspeople about the extent of
8670-453: The works to build the new cathedral after the Great Fire, and Camden's hypothesis is no longer accepted by modern archaeologists. There is evidence for Christianity in London during the Roman period, but no firm evidence for the location of churches or a cathedral. Bishop Restitutus is said to have represented London at the Council of Arles in 314 AD. A list of the 16 "archbishops" of London
8772-494: Was agreed. Test trenches in 2003 confirmed that serious damage had occurred to buildings on the northern side of Old Watling Street by deep ploughing. Permission needs to be granted to enable the full extent of the damage to the western half of Verulamium to be investigated. After the Roman withdrawal the town became the centre of the territory or regio of the Anglo-Saxon Waeclingas tribe. St Albans Abbey and
8874-609: Was as part of the suffragette bombing and arson campaign between 1912 and 1914, in which suffragettes from the Women's Social and Political Union , as part of their campaign for women's suffrage , carried out a series of politically motivated bombings and arson nationwide. Churches were explicitly targeted by the suffragettes as they believed the Church of England was complicit in reinforcing opposition to women's suffrage. Between 1913 and 1914, 32 churches across Britain were attacked. The first attack on St. Paul's occurred on 8 May 1913, at
8976-617: Was built between 1829 and 1831 and served as the council's meeting place until the 1960s, when the council moved to new premises at the City Hall and adjoining buildings. In 1898 the parish of St Albans absorbed St Michael Urban, St Peter Urban and Sandridge Urban so the parish and borough occupied the same area. In 1901 the population of the borough was 16,019, growing to 18,133 in 1911. St Albans expanded in 1913 by gaining parts of Sandridge Rural (241 acres), St Michael Rural (138 acres), St Peter Rural (992 acres) and St Stephen (335 acres). In 1921
9078-535: Was burnt, with much of the city, in a fire in 1087 , as recorded in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle . The fourth St Paul's, generally referred to as Old St Paul's , was begun by the Normans after the 1087 fire. A further fire in 1135 disrupted the work, and the new cathedral was not consecrated until 1240. During the period of construction, the style of architecture had changed from Romanesque to Gothic and this
9180-509: Was established in the same year, in the main from parts of the large Diocese of Rochester . In the inter-war years it became a centre for the electronics industry. In the post- World War II years it expanded rapidly as part of the post-War redistribution of population out of Greater London . It is now a popular tourist destination. St Albans has two tiers of local government, at district and county level: St Albans City and District Council and Hertfordshire County Council . The main part of
9282-460: Was exceeded in length only by the Abbey Church of Cluny and in the height of its spire only by Lincoln Cathedral and St. Mary's Church, Stralsund . Excavations by Francis Penrose in 1878 showed that it was 585 feet (178 m) long and 100 feet (30 m) wide (290 feet (88 m) across the transepts and crossing ). The spire was about 489 feet (149 m) in height. By the 16th century
9384-523: Was filmed largely in and around St Albans. The Lady Chapel in the Abbey itself was used as a location for at least one scene in Sean Connery 's 1995 film First Knight , whilst the nave of the Abbey was used during a coronation scene as a substitute for Westminster Abbey in Johnny English starring Rowan Atkinson . The 19th-century gatehouse of the former prison near the mainline station appeared in
9486-498: Was financed by a tax on coal, and was completed within its architect's lifetime with many of the major contractors engaged for the duration. The "topping out" of the cathedral (when the final stone was placed on the lantern) took place on 26 October 1708, performed by Wren's son Christopher Jr and the son of one of the masons. The cathedral was declared officially complete by Parliament on 25 December 1711 (Christmas Day). In fact, construction continued for several years after that, with
9588-492: Was fought on 17 February 1461, just to the north. A street market on Wednesdays and Saturdays, founded by Abbot Ulsinus , still flourishes. In 1553, Henry's son Edward VI sold the right to hold the market to a group of local merchants and landowners via letters patent which also incorporated St Albans as a borough . The old market hall, which dated from around 1596, was replaced by the Corn Exchange in 1857. Before
9690-542: Was recorded by Jocelyn of Furness in the 12th century, claiming London's Christian community was founded in the second century under the legendary King Lucius and his missionary saints Fagan , Deruvian , Elvanus and Medwin. None of that is considered credible by modern historians but, although the surviving text is problematic, either Bishop Restitutus or Adelphius at the 314 Council of Arles seems to have come from Londinium . Bede records that in AD 604 Augustine of Canterbury consecrated Mellitus as
9792-409: Was reflected in the pointed arches and larger windows of the upper parts and East End of the building. The Gothic ribbed vault was constructed, like that of York Minster , of wood rather than stone, which affected the ultimate fate of the building. An enlargement programme commenced in 1256. This "New Work" was consecrated in 1300 but not complete until 1314. During the later Medieval period St Paul's
9894-598: Was reformed by the Municipal Corporations Act 1835 to become a municipal borough , and the boundary was adjusted to additionally include part of the parish of St Stephen . On 28 August 1877 the borough gained city status , following the elevation of St Albans Abbey to become a cathedral. The boundary was also adjusted in 1877 to include part of the parish of Sandridge . The Local Government Act 1894 divided parishes that were partly within municipal boroughs. The parts of St Michael, St Peter and Sandridge within
9996-452: Was relegated. St Albans Gymnastics Club, founded in 2005, provides the St Albans area with recreational classes as well as a professionally managed competitive squad. St Albans is also home to St Albans Hockey Club , based in Oaklands, St Albans. The club is represented at National league level by both women's and men's teams, as well as other local league competitions. The club's nickname
10098-591: Was repaired and a timber "roo"’ put on the steeple. In the 1630s a west front was added to the building by England's first classical architect, Inigo Jones . There was much defacing and mistreatment of the building by Parliamentarian forces during the Civil War , and the old documents and charters were dispersed and destroyed. During the Commonwealth , those churchyard buildings that were razed supplied ready-dressed building material for construction projects, such as
10200-663: Was the first major town on the old Roman road of Watling Street for travellers heading north and became the city of Verulamium . It is within the London commuter belt and the Greater London Built-up Area . St Albans takes its name from the first British saint, Alban . The most elaborate version of his story, in Bede's Ecclesiastical History of the English People , relates that he lived in Verulamium , sometime during
10302-524: Was the principal medieval abbey in England. The scribe Matthew Vickers lived there and the first draft of Magna Carta was drawn up there. It became a parish church after the dissolution of the Benedictine abbey in 1539 and was made a cathedral in 1877. St Albans School was founded in AD 948. Matthew Paris was educated there and it is the only school in the English-speaking world to have educated
10404-469: Was transferred to the entire district by letters patent dated 9 July 1974. Local government services are now provided by Hertfordshire County Council (strategic services) and St Albans City and District Council. Eight local parish councils (limited local services) cover the parts of St Albans City and District that were previously in St Albans Rural District and Harpenden Urban District, but
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