Showing posts with label Hertfordshire. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hertfordshire. Show all posts
St Albans - a historic cathedral city
Where else would you go first in an English cathedral city but its magnificent cathedral with centuries of history as seen through its architecture and surrounding buildings and gardens, right? Well certainly that was the case with my visit to St Albans in Hertfordshire.
The city took its name from St Alban, the first British Christian martyr, who was executed in 305 AD for refusing to participate in a pagan sacrifice. The ground where the Cathedral stands specifically the north transept was the traditional spot where St Alban was executed.
Ruins of the Roman Theatre of Verulamium
St Albans | Cathedral inside and outside | Oldest pub
In January 2022 I visited the cathedral city of St Albans as I have a few hours to spare waiting for my wife attending lessons from the nearby university in Hatfield. The city is just a 15-minute drive from Hatfield, which is an hour and 15 minutes drive from my city of Peterborough. I decided to just visit two famous places in the city that are close to each other - St Albans Cathedral and the ruins of the Roman Theatre of Verulamium.
In the southwest of St Albans lies the remains of the Roman Britain town of Verulamium. A few remains of Verulamium are still seen at Verulamium Park like parts of the city wall and a hypocaust (a central heating system in the Roman period) as well as items that are found in the museum. The ruins of the Roman theatre, however, is now part of the nearby Gorhambury Estate.
Clock Tower of St Albans
St Albans' Clock Tower is the only surviving medieval town belfry in England and is designated as a Scheduled Ancient Monument. The people of St Albans built the tower, which was completed by 1405 as a symbol of their resistance against the power of the abbot of St Albans. The Tower allowed the town to sound its own hours and, until 1863, the curfew. The Clock Tower's bell rang out for the first Battle of St Albans during the Wars of the Roses in 1455. Today, the tower - and its 600 year old bell - still stands face to face with the abbey's tower and provides fantastic views across over St Albans and far into the Hertfordshire countryside. (Source: St Albans Museums)
Before I went to have a good look inside St Albans Cathedral I wandered around outside its vicinity as there were a few interesting sites to see including the Clock Tower. I walked a little bit around Market Place, the street where the Clock Tower is located before I had a good look of the tower from the outside. The Clock Tower is only open during weekends and bank holidays and it was a Monday when I visited St Albans. The tower also has a long and interesting history as can be seen by the plaques and from Wikipedia, too.
St Albans Cathedral from the outside: Gallery
If you have not read the story of my visit to St Albans Cathedral please go here or click the link above.
Before I went inside the Cathedral I wandered a bit in the cathedral grounds to see the Abbey Gateway, the Verdun Tree and the Vintry Garden in detail. I also had a quick look at the nearby Clock Tower.
I visited the cathedral city of St Albans in January 2022 when I had a few hours to spare while waiting for my wife attending her lessons from the nearby university in Hatfield. The city is just a 15-minute drive from Hatfield, which is an hour and 15 minutes drive from my city of Peterborough. I decided to just visit two famous places in the city that are close to each other - St Albans Cathedral and the ruins of the Roman Theatre of Verulamium.
All photos were taken with a micro four thirds camera (https://amzn.to/2Qjtg8h) attached with a telephoto zoom lens (https://amzn.to/32TeGWA).
St Albans Cathedral from the outside
I visited the cathedral city of St Albans in January 2022 when I had a few hours to spare while waiting for my wife attending her lessons from the nearby university in Hatfield. The city is just a 15-minute drive from Hatfield, which is an hour and 15 minutes drive from my city of Peterborough. I decided to just visit two famous places in the city that are close to each other - St Albans Cathedral and the ruins of the Roman Theatre of Verulamium.
St Albans Cathedral was named after St Alban, the first British Christian martyr, who was executed in 305 AD for refusing to participate in a pagan sacrifice. The ground where the Cathedral stands specifically the north transept is the traditional spot where St Albans was executed.
Who was St Alban?
Alban was a citizen of Verulamium, the Roman town that grew to become St Albans. During the reign of the Emperor Diocletian many Christians were persecuted for their beliefs. One such was Amphibalus, a deacon who fled from the authorities. Alban, though himself a pagan, offered shelter to Amphibalus.
During the time he hid the deacon from the Roman authorities Alban himself became converted to Christianity. Eventually both men were captured by the Romans and put to death. Alban could have escaped his fate if he agreed to sacrifice at a pagan altar, but he refused, and was executed. (Source: Britain Express)
A Last Supper (2009) by Lorna May Wadsworth
A Last Supper is a 2009 interpretation by British contemporary artist Lorna May Wadsworth of Leonardo da Vinci's The Last Supper (1495-1498). What is striking about this painting was the depiction of Jesus Christ as a black man, represented by Jamaican-born fashion model, Tafari Hinds. I came across this painting, actually a high resolution print instead of the original oil on aluminium art piece while wandering inside St Albans Cathedral during a previous visit. Apparently, this fine art print was displayed in the Altar of the Persecuted in the North Transept since 2020 in support of the Black Lives Matter movement by the cathedral.
When asked to explain why she used a black man to portray Jesus Christ in her painting, Wadsworth explained:
Painting the Last Supper altarpiece made me really think about how we are accustomed to seeing Jesus portrayed. Experts agree he would most likely have had Middle Eastern features, yet for centuries European artists have traditionally painted Christ in their own image. I cast Tafari as my Jesus to make people question the Western myth that he had fair hair and blue eyes. My portrayal of him is just as ‘accurate’ as the received idea that he looked like a Florentine. I also knew that, from a previous portrait of Tafari, there is something in his countenance that people find deeply empathetic and moving, which is the overriding quality I wanted my Christ to embody. (Source: Lorna May Wadsworth)
St Albans Cathedral from the inside: Gallery
If you have not read the story of my visit to St Albans Cathedral please go here or click the link above.
After wandering outside the cathedral grounds enjoying the beautiful gardens and nearby Clock Tower, I entered the Cathedral through the gift shop. I managed to see some of the highlight places inside the cathedral. I come from a cathedral city myself and St Albans is just as magnificent as our very own Peterborough Cathedral. Our cathedral looks bigger from the inside because of its open plan design while St Albans have walls separating the different parts of the Cathedral.
I visited the cathedral city of St Albans in January 2022 when I had a few hours to spare while waiting for my wife attend her lessons from the nearby university in Hatfield. The city is just a 15-minute drive from Hatfield, which is an hour and 15 minutes drive from my city of Peterborough. I decided to just visit two famous places in the city that are close to each other - St Albans Cathedral and the ruins of the Roman Theatre of Verulamium.
All photos were taken with a micro four thirds camera (https://amzn.to/2Qjtg8h) attached with a telephoto zoom lens (https://amzn.to/32TeGWA).
St Albans Cathedral from the inside
I visited the cathedral city of St Albans in January 2022 when I had a few hours to spare while waiting for my wife attending her lessons from the nearby university in Hatfield. The city is just a 15-minute drive from Hatfield, which is an hour and 15 minutes drive from my city of Peterborough. I decided to just visit two famous places in the city that are close to each other - St Albans Cathedral and the ruins of the Roman Theatre of Verulamium.
St Albans Cathedral was named after St Alban, the first British Christian martyr, who was executed in 305 AD for refusing to participate in a pagan sacrifice. The ground where the Cathedral stands specifically the north transept is the traditional spot where St Alban was executed.
Who was St Alban?
Alban was a citizen of Verulamium, the Roman town that grew to become St Albans. During the reign of the Emperor Diocletian many Christians were persecuted for their beliefs. One such was Amphibalus, a deacon who fled from the authorities. Alban, though himself a pagan, offered shelter to Amphibalus.
During the time he hid the deacon from the Roman authorities Alban himself became converted to Christianity. Eventually both men were captured by the Romans and put to death. Alban could have escaped his fate if he agreed to sacrifice at a pagan altar, but he refused, and was executed. (Source: Britain Express)
Ye Olde Fighting Cocks - the oldest pub (reputedly) in England
In January 2022 I visited the cathedral city of St Albans as I have a few hours to spare waiting for my wife attending lessons from the nearby university in Hatfield. The city is just a 15-minute drive from Hatfield, which is an hour and 15 minutes drive from my city of Peterborough. I decided to just visit two famous places in the city that are close to each other - St Albans Cathedral and the ruins of the Roman Theatre of Verulamium.
Roman Theatre of Verulamium
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I ended my quick tour of St Albans in Hertfordshire with a visit to the ruins of the Roman Theatre of Verulamium, a town of Roman Britain that is now part of this modern city. I spent a good amount of time in the ruins imagining myself as one of those Romans entertained by the actors and gladiators of the day. It must have been such a joyous occasion watching those plays back then. Or be thrilled by those bloodthirsty armed combatants fighting to the death (think the movie Gladiator).
St Albans Cathedral, The West Front
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The post card shows the West Front of St Albans Cathedral, which is what greeted me after a somewhat steep climb from Verulamium Park. I went there last January of 2022 when I have a few hours to spare waiting for my wife attending lessons from the nearby university in Hatfield, Herfordshire. I spent a considerable time inside and the nearby garden of the cathedral after a quick tour of the city's market place.
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