Home»All Photographs»Cathedrals, Abbeys and Churches»St Albans cathedral

Another one off the bucket list - one of the biggest sites of pilgrimage and consequently amongst the richest of the Benedictine abbey before Henry VIII; site also of two significant battles in 1455 to open the Wars of the Roses. Alban became England's first martyrafter he shelteered a priest fleeing persecution and and wad was so impressed by his faith that he refused to hand hime over; after converting to Christianity himself he was executed. A shrine has probably existed on the site since the 4th century. King Offa is said to have founded a double monastery on the site in 793, folowing the Benedictine Rule. Construction of the Norman Abbey began in 1089. The original Norman Romanesque arches still form the north side of the nave and crossing.Nicholas Brakespeare was born near St Albans, reportedly at Abbots Langley, and applied to be admitted to the Abbey as a novice, but he was turned down. He eventually managed to be accepted into an abbey in France. In 1154 he was elected Pope Adrian IV, the only English Pope there has ever been. The Abbey was surpresed on 5 December 1539; an abbot and 40 monks remined it's income had been assed as £2,100 per yea.