St Albans
St Albans | |
---|---|
Cathedral city | |
Region | |
Country | England |
Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
Post town | ST. ALBANS |
Postcode district | AL1-AL4 |
Dialling code | 01727 |
Police | Hertfordshire |
Fire | Hertfordshire |
Ambulance | East of England |
UK Parliament | |
St Albans (
Name
St Albans takes its name from the first British saint, Alban.[1] The most elaborate version of his story, in Bede's Ecclesiastical History of the English People, relates that he lived in Verulamium, sometime during 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 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.[2]
History
Iron Age
There was an
Roman
The Roman city of
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 the church and subsequently promoted the cult of St Alban.[6][7][8][9][10]
A few traces of the Roman city remain visible, such as parts of the
Anglo-Saxon
After the Roman withdrawal the town became the centre of the territory or
St Albans Abbey and 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.[12] 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 the followers of Wæcla", possibly a pocket of British-speakers remaining separate in an increasingly Saxonised area.[13]
Medieval
The medieval town grew on the hill to the east of Wæclingacaester where the
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 the oldest pub in England.[15]
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.[16] 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 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 was fought on 17 February 1461, just to the north.[17]
A
Modern
Before 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 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%.[20]
In 1877, in response to a public petition, Queen
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.
Governance
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 the urban area of St Albans (the pre-1974 borough) is an unparished area, directly administered by the city/district and county councils.
Past
St Albans | |
---|---|
Ancient borough (1553–1835) Municipal borough (1836–1974) | |
History | |
• Created | 12 May 1553 (Ancient borough) 1 January 1836 (Municipal borough) |
• Abolished | 31 March 1974 |
• Succeeded by | St Albans City and District |
• HQ | St Albans |
Contained within | |
• County Council | Hertfordshire |
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 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.[21] On 12 May 1553 the town was granted a charter by Edward VI, incorporating it as a borough with a mayor.[22]
The borough consisted of the
The
St Albans Town Hall 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.[25]
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 the population of the enlarged borough was 25,593, growing to 28,624 in 1931. It expanded again in 1935 as part of a
Present
The borough was abolished on 1 April 1974 and St Albans became part of the new, larger
Parliamentary representation
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.
Geography
Climate
St Albans has an oceanic climate (Köppen climate classification Cfb) similar to most of the United Kingdom.
Climate data for Rothamsted WMO ID: 03680; coordinates 51°48′24″N 0°21′37″W / 51.80671°N 0.36017°W; elevation: 128 m (420 ft); 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1914–present | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high °C (°F) | 14.2 (57.6) |
18.2 (64.8) |
22.3 (72.1) |
26.8 (80.2) |
27.7 (81.9) |
33.0 (91.4) |
38.5 (101.3) |
35.6 (96.1) |
31.0 (87.8) |
26.8 (80.2) |
17.3 (63.1) |
15.3 (59.5) |
38.5 (101.3) |
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 7.1 (44.8) |
7.6 (45.7) |
10.3 (50.5) |
13.4 (56.1) |
16.6 (61.9) |
19.6 (67.3) |
22.1 (71.8) |
21.7 (71.1) |
18.6 (65.5) |
14.3 (57.7) |
10.1 (50.2) |
7.4 (45.3) |
14.1 (57.4) |
Daily mean °C (°F) | 4.3 (39.7) |
4.6 (40.3) |
6.6 (43.9) |
9.0 (48.2) |
11.9 (53.4) |
14.9 (58.8) |
17.2 (63.0) |
17.0 (62.6) |
14.4 (57.9) |
10.9 (51.6) |
7.2 (45.0) |
4.7 (40.5) |
10.2 (50.4) |
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 1.6 (34.9) |
1.5 (34.7) |
2.8 (37.0) |
4.5 (40.1) |
7.3 (45.1) |
10.2 (50.4) |
12.3 (54.1) |
12.3 (54.1) |
10.1 (50.2) |
7.5 (45.5) |
4.2 (39.6) |
2.0 (35.6) |
6.4 (43.5) |
Record low °C (°F) | −16.7 (1.9) |
−13.6 (7.5) |
−12.2 (10.0) |
−6.2 (20.8) |
−2.8 (27.0) |
0.0 (32.0) |
2.8 (37.0) |
3.1 (37.6) |
−0.6 (30.9) |
−4.7 (23.5) |
−7.5 (18.5) |
−17.0 (1.4) |
−17.0 (1.4) |
Average precipitation mm (inches) | 67.6 (2.66) |
50.9 (2.00) |
42.7 (1.68) |
51.2 (2.02) |
51.2 (2.02) |
52.9 (2.08) |
52.2 (2.06) |
68.2 (2.69) |
55.4 (2.18) |
78.2 (3.08) |
76.8 (3.02) |
67.2 (2.65) |
714.5 (28.13) |
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) | 12.2 | 10.4 | 9.2 | 9.5 | 8.4 | 8.3 | 8.5 | 9.5 | 8.9 | 11.4 | 12.1 | 11.8 | 120.2 |
Mean monthly sunshine hours | 60.0 | 78.3 | 119.1 | 165.9 | 202.5 | 205.2 | 209.0 | 194.4 | 149.8 | 111.5 | 69.2 | 56.0 | 1,620.9 |
Source 1: Met Office[31] | |||||||||||||
Source 2: KNMI[32] |
Neighbourhoods
- Batchwood
- Bernards Heath
- Chiswell Green
- Cell Barnes
- Cottonmill
- Fleetville
- Hill End
- Jersey Farm
- Marshalswick (also extends into Sandridge parish)
- New Greens
- Sopwell
- St Julians
- St Stephens (not to be confused with St Stephen)
- The Camp
- Townsend
Nearby towns and villages
- Other nearby towns: Borehamwood, Luton, Stevenage, Berkhamsted, Barnet (historically a separate town, part of Greater London since the 1960s)
- Nearby villages: Abbots Langley, Kings Langley, Bricket Wood, Colney Heath, Elstree, Frogmore, Lemsford, London Colney, Markyate, Park Street, Radlett, Redbourn, Sandridge, Wheathampstead, Shenley
- Nearby hamlets: Chiswell Green, Colney Street
Transport
Road
St Albans is northeast of the intersection between the M1 and M25 motorways. On the M1, its northern, central and southern junctions are 9, 7 and 6, respectively, and on the M25, its western and eastern junctions are 21A and 22, respectively.
Notable A-roads serving the city include the A414 which runs directly south of St Albans between Hemel Hempstead and Hatfield and links to M1 Junction 7/8, the A405 which provides a direct link to Watford via M25 Junction 21A and M1 Junction 6, and the A5183 which runs north-west towards M1 Junction 9 and Dunstable and south towards Edgware in north London, forming the "detrunked" section of the London-Holyhead A5 road.
Rail
Two railway stations serve the city:
St Albans City on the
Buses
St Albans is well served by local buses, with links to local villages and major towns run by Arriva, Uno, Red Eagle, Sullivan Buses and several small operators. Buses in Hertfordshire are run under the Intalink Partnership [1]
Culture and media
St Albans has a cultural life, with regular concerts and theatre productions held at venues including Trestle Arts Base,[36] St Albans Abbey, The Horn,[37] The Pioneer Club,[38] Maltings Arts Theatre,[39] the Alban Arena, the Abbey Theatre,[40] St Peter's Church and St Saviour's Church, given by organisations including St Albans Bach Choir,[41] St Albans Cathedral Choir, St Albans Cathedral Girls' Choir, St Albans Symphony Orchestra,[42] St Albans Chamber Choir,[43] St Albans Chamber Opera,[44] The Company of Ten,[45] St Albans Choral Society,[46] and St Albans Organ Theatre.[47] St Albans is also home to Trestle Theatre Company,[48] 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 the pupils of Sandringham School. The school also hosts Best Theatre Arts,[49] 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
The Watercress nature reserve is by the River Ver and is run by the Watercress Wildlife Association. [52]
St Albans Museums runs two museums: Verulamium Museum, which tells the story of everyday life in Roman Britain using objects from the excavations of 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.[53]
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. [54][55]
The local radio stations are served by
Local newspaper in the town is the St Albans Observer.
Filming location
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 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 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. 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.[56]
Sport
In December 2007, Sport England published a survey which revealed that residents of St Albans were 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.[57]
Cricket
Clarence Park plays host to St Albans Cricket Club.[58] 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 the previous two seasons, the first XI came 5th (2011) and 4th (2012) in division one.
Football
The local football team is
Gymnastics
St Albans Gymnastics Club, founded in 2005, provides the St Albans area with recreational classes as well as a professionally managed competitive squad.[60]
Hockey
St Albans is also home to St Albans Hockey Club,[61] 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 is The Tangerines.
Rugby league
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.
Rugby union
Skateboarding
St Albans is home to one of the country's oldest indoor
Links with other sports
St Albans is additionally home to a community of
St Albans was once home to the then most prestigious
St Albans was once home to
Education
St Albans has many state primary and secondary schools, and a number of independent schools.
The law school of the University of Hertfordshire used to be based in Hatfield Road in St Albans until it moved to the university's De Havilland campus in Hatfield in 2011. Hertfordshire County Council purchased the site. The interior of the former law school building has since been refurbished and now forms part of Alban City School, a state-funded Free School for primary aged children, which started taking reception class children in September 2012.
A campus of Oaklands College, a further education college, is also located in Smallford in St Albans.
International relations
Twin towns – sister cities
- Odense, Syddanmark, Denmark
- Nevers, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, France
- Worms, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany
- Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg, Hungary
- Fano, Pesaro and Urbino, Marche, Italy
Notable people
See also
- Kingsbury Watermill Museum
- St Alban and St Stephen's Church, St Albans
- St Albans Museums
- St Albans (UK Parliament constituency)
- Sopwell Priory
- Sopwell House
- Verulam House, St Albans
- Verulamium Museum
References
- ^ a b Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 23 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 1012.
- ^ "Medieval St. Albans". Retrieved 3 November 2013.
- ^ a b c d Rosalind Niblett, Roman Hertfordshire, Wimborne: Dovecote Press, 1995
- ^ John Wacher, 1976, The Towns of Roman Britain, p. 202, both for Tasciovanus and the Catuvellauni.
- ^ "BBC – History – Boudicca".
- ^ Garcia, Michael (January 2010). "Saint Alban and the Cult of Saints in Late Antique Britain". academia.edu. Retrieved 19 November 2014.
- ^ Constantius of Lyon; Trans. Vermaat, Robert. "The text of the Vita sancti Germani". vortigernstudies.org.uk. Retrieved 19 November 2014.
- ^ Martin Biddle, "Alban and the Anglo-Saxon Church", in Robert Runcie (ed), Cathedral and City: St Albans Ancient and Modern, Martyn Associates, 1977
- ^ ""Story of St Alban", Cathedral and Abbey Church of St Alban". 8 April 2019.
- ^ Painter, Kenneth (1989). "Kenneth. S. Painter, "Recent discoveries in Britain", Publications de l'École française de Rome, 1989, Vol. 123, No. 1, pp. 2031–2071". Publications de l'École Française de Rome. 123 (1): 2031–2071.
- ISBN 071904491X. Retrieved 13 September 2014.
- ^ "Chapter House History – The Cathedral and Abbey Church of Saint Alban". Stalbanscathedral.org. Archived from the original on 13 November 2013. Retrieved 13 November 2013.
- ^ Loyn, Anglo-Saxon England and the Norman Conquest, 2nd ed. 1991:11.
- ^ a b St Albans Millenary Pageant Souvenir Programme, n.p, 1948
- ^ Kitton, F.G. (1899–1900). "The Old Inns of St Albans". Transactions of the St Albans & Hertfordshire Architectural & Archaeological Society: 260.
- ^ "Clock Tower". St Albans Museums. Retrieved 21 December 2019.
- ^ History of Verulam and St. Alban's S. G. Shaw, 1815 pages 64–66. Accessed April 2011
- ISBN 978-1-85936-190-0.
- ISBN 978-1445657622.
- ^ Asa Briggs, "The Victorian City", in ‘'Cathedral & City: St Albans Ancient and Modern'’, ed. Robert Runcie, Martyn Associates, 1977
- ^ Kate Morris. "Other publications | Research papers | Places | St Peter's in the Borough | A lecture given by Kate Morris on 26 November 2010". St Albans History.
- ^ Page, William (1908). A History of the County of Hertford, Volume 2. London: Victoria County History. pp. 477–483. Retrieved 30 January 2022.
- ^ "St Albans Borough through time | Census tables with data for the Ancient District". Visionofbritain.org.uk.
- ^ "Whitehall, September 11, 1877". The London Gazette (24502): 5185. 11 September 1877. Retrieved 30 January 2022.
- ^ "St Albans Museum and Gallery". John McAslan and Partners. 10 July 2018. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
- ^ "St Albans AP/CP through time | Census tables with data for the Parish-level Unit". Visionofbritain.org.uk.
- ^ "St Albans AP/CP through time | Population Statistics | Total Population". Visionofbritain.org.uk.
- ^ "No. 46352". The London Gazette. 24 September 1974. p. 7920.
- ^ "St Albans City & District Council – City Neighbourhood Committee takes on local agenda". Stalbans.gov.uk. 1 July 2013. Archived from the original on 1 July 2017. Retrieved 28 November 2013.
- ^ "St Albans City & District Council – Proposed City Neighbourhoods Committee under scrutiny". Stalbans.gov.uk. 1 March 2013.
- ^ "Rothamsted 1991–2020 averages". Met Office. Retrieved 21 February 2022.
- KNMI. Retrieved 7 March 2019.
- ^ "Trainline".
- ^ "St Albans City [SAC] to London St Pancras International [STP]".
- ^ "Abbey Line Passenger Survey Final Report" (PDF). June 2006. Retrieved 24 January 2016.
- ^ "Trestle Theatre Company, St Albans". trestle.org.uk. Retrieved 17 July 2010.
- ^ "History".
- ^ a b "History".
- ^ "The Maltings Arts Theatre, St Albans". Stalbans.gov.uk. Retrieved 17 July 2010.
- ^ "Abbey Theatre, Trestle Arts Base, St Albans". Abbeytheatre.org.uk. Retrieved 17 July 2010.
- ^ "St Albans Bach Choir". St Albans Bach Choir. 10 July 2010. Retrieved 17 July 2010.
- ^ "St Albans Symphony Orchestra". Saso.org.uk. 11 July 2010. Retrieved 17 July 2010.
- ^ "St Albans Chamber Choir". St Albans Chamber Choir. 25 April 2010. Retrieved 17 July 2010.
- ^ "St Albans Chamber Opera". Hertsdirect.org. Retrieved 17 July 2010.
- ^ "The Company of Ten, St Albans". Hertsdirect.org. Retrieved 17 July 2010.
- ^ "St Albans Choral Society". Choralsociety.com. Retrieved 17 July 2010.
- ^ "St Albans Organ Theatre". St Albans Organ Theatre. Retrieved 17 July 2010.
- ^ "Trestle Theatre Company History". trestle.org.uk. Archived from the original on 13 January 2010. Retrieved 17 July 2010.
- ^ "Best Theatre Arts". Best Theatre Arts. Retrieved 17 July 2010.
- ^ "The Odyssey History". Odyssey Cinema St Albans. Archived from the original on 23 March 2018. Retrieved 23 March 2018.
- ^ "Restored art-deco cinema reopens". BBC News. 13 December 2014. Archived from the original on 23 March 2018. Retrieved 23 March 2018.
- ^ "Watercress Wildlife Association, St Albans". Watercress Wildlife Association. Retrieved 23 May 2013.
- ^ "St Albans Museums". St Albans Museums. Archived from the original on 17 August 2011. Retrieved 11 August 2011.
- ^ "Crystal Palace (Greater London, England) Full Freeview transmitter". May 2004.
- ^ "St Albans (Hertfordshire, England) Freeview Light transmitter". May 2004.
- ^ "Parts of Verulamium Park in St Albans due to close 'for Wonka filming'". BBC News. 2 March 2022. Retrieved 15 January 2023.
- ^ "Sport England—Active People Survey". Sportengland.org. Archived from the original on 25 February 2010. Retrieved 17 July 2010.
- ^ "St Albans Cricket Club". Stalbanscc.com. Retrieved 17 July 2010.
- ^ "Football Conference – League Table – Nationwide Conference". 27 November 2005. Archived from the original on 27 November 2005.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - ^ "St Albans Gymnastics Club". stalbansgymclub.com. Retrieved 2 September 2010.
- ^ "St Albans Hockey Club". Stalbanshc.co.uk. 17 April 2010. Retrieved 17 July 2010.
- ^ "Area Guide: The popular Bernards Heath area of St Albans". 14 January 2022.
- ^ "Hertfordshire Parkour". Hertsparkour.co.uk. Retrieved 17 July 2010.
External links
- St Albans in the Domesday Book
- St Albans council website
- Once Upon a Time in St Albans – a graphic journey to St Albans past
- enjoystalbans – visitor website for St Albans – what's on, where to go, what to see, accommodation, etc
- allaboutstalbans – events and leisure website for visitors to St Albans
- Herts Advertiser newspaper
- St Albans & Harpenden Review newspaper
- Radio Verulam – St Albans based community radio station, covering West Herts on 92.6FM
- St Albans Museums
- St Albans Remarkable Heritage
- Collier's New Encyclopedia. 1921. .