Standing proudly in the medieval market town of St Albans just outside London, St Albans Cathedral represents over 1700 years of continuous Christian worship in Britain. Founded as a monastic abbey around the 8th century, it was later dissolved during the 16th century before becoming a cathedral in 1877. Today, the site serves as both a cathedral church and parish church, welcoming visitors and worshippers alike.
A place where history breathes through ancient stones, bearing witness to centuries of prayer and devotion.
The cathedral houses the longest nave in England, stretching an impressive 85 meters. Construction began in 1077 using Norman techniques, with foundations pushed twelve feet deep to reach bedrock for stability. The building features the only remaining 11th-century crossing tower of its kind still standing in England, supported by four massive brick piers and specially thickened walls. Roman bricks and flint from the ruined city of Verulamium were repurposed in its construction.
Named after Saint Alban, England’s first martyr, the cathedral marks the site of his Christian martyrdom over 1700 years ago. The building houses two medieval shrines: one for St Alban and another for St Amphibalus. This makes it the only cathedral in England to contain two such shrines, with St Amphibalus’s shrine being one of Britain’s rare 13 medieval pedestal shrines.
Visitors can explore numerous unique features, including one of the most extensive collections of medieval wall paintings in England and a rare mid-fourteenth century stone rood screen that survived the Reformation. The cathedral also contains the only surviving Watching Loft in England, complete with a 15th-century oak frieze.
Throughout its history, the cathedral underwent several expansions. In the 1190s, Abbot John de Cella extended the building as the monastic population grew from fifty to over one hundred monks. Unlike this cathedral, Winchester Cathedral is known for its Perpendicular Gothic style that transformed its nave between 1404 and 1420. Three bays were added to the nave, and the Norman west front was rebuilt by Hugh de Goldclif. The cathedral had to undergo extensive repairs after suffering earthquake damage in 1250, which threatened its structural integrity. The cathedral offers free guided tours daily for visitors wanting to explore its rich history and architectural treasures.
Despite numerous transformations over the centuries, St Albans Cathedral has retained much of its Norman-era architecture, continuing to function as an important religious center to this day.
