CHAPTER XI

HERTFORDSHIRE

ST ALBANS (_Mitred Benedictine_)

303, A church built to the memory of Alban, proto-martyr of Britain and Roman soldier--793, Destroyed by the Saxon invaders--King Offa founds a monastery and builds a second church in honour of St Alban--1077, Paul de Caen, first abbot, begins to rebuild the church--During his life the eastern part of the nave, the transepts and the central tower completed--1115, The church consecrated by the Bishop of Lincoln in the presence of Henry I. and Queen Maud--1154, Nicholas, Bishop of St Albans, chosen Pope (Adrian IV.). He “granted to the abbot of this abbey that as St Alban was the first martyr of England, so this abbot should be the first of all the abbots of England in order and dignity” (Dugdale’s _Monasticon_)--1218, Pope Honorious “confirms all lands and privileges”--1349, Thomas de la Mare becomes abbot--The captive King John of France entrusted to his care--1381, The monastery plays a prominent part in the Peasant Rising--1464, The abbey stripped of its valuables by the victorious Queen Margaret after the second battle of St Albans--1521, Wolsey becomes abbot--1539, The abbey surrendered by Richard Boreham, last abbot, to the commissioners of Henry VIII.--1553, Granted to the Mayor and burgesses for a parish church and grammar school--1688, The scheme for the restoration of the building supported by public subscription--1878, The diocese of St Albans founded--Thomas Leigh Claughton becomes first bishop--1879, West front built by Lord Grimthorpe--1885, Restoration of nave completed.

The quiet little town of St Albans in Hertfordshire has sprung up on the site of the Roman city Verulamium, the ruined walls of which are still to be seen. Here, according to the legend, Alban, the proto-martyr of Britain, was born. Converted to Christianity by the priest Amphibalus--to whom he had given shelter--he refused to renounce his faith, and was beheaded. The martyrdom took place outside the walls of the town, on the exact site on which now stands the cathedral--formerly the abbey--of St Albans. A small church was erected on the hill a few years after St Alban’s death, and later a second church was planned in expiation of a still greater crime. Ethelbert of East Anglia had been treacherously murdered by his father-in-law, Offa, King of Mercia, who now sought to salve his conscience by building a monastery in honour of St Alban. Of this second church (the first was only a temporary shelter for the relics of the saint, which were supposed to have been miraculously discovered by King Offa) there are now but few traces. The town of St Albans lies on a high hill, while the Ver, a stream supposed to have burst forth miraculously to assuage the thirst of Alban the martyr, flows along the peaceful valley below.

The view of the massive structure of the abbey church is from all points impressive. The great length of the nave with its magnificent western front, the pinnacled transepts, the choir and Lady chapel, all crowned by the lofty castellated tower, make up a truly marvellous whole. The greater part of the church was built after the Norman Conquest by the Abbot Paul, whose uncle, Lanfranc, was first appointed abbot of St Stephen’s at Caen by William I. and afterwards made Archbishop of Canterbury. Founded on the spot where Alban was cruelly put to death, this immense monastery extended over the hill side as far as the river. With the exception of the monastery gateway, the entire conventual part was swept away at the Dissolution. Fortunately the abbey church was spared, and became, as in many other cases, the parish church of the district. Every style of architecture is shown in the building, from the time of the Normans to the reign of Edward IV. The nave is of thirteen bays with aisles; the two transepts have no aisles, and, as in the case of Westminster Abbey, the choir is west of the crossing. The presbytery and Lady chapel extend beyond the choir. The pillars of the triforium and south transept are of Saxon work and are all that remains of the 8th century church built by King Offa. The most ancient parts of the edifice are those most central, the east and west ends being of a different style of architecture and of a later period. The eastern part of the nave, the transepts and central tower, are all the work of Abbot Paul. Admirable in its proportions, the heavy Norman arches--relieved occasionally by those of Early English work--the beautiful moulding, the grand spaciousness of the whole building combine to make a grand and effective whole, while simplicity is undoubtedly the key-note of the entire structure. Although all the abbots of St Alban’s are buried here, very few of their tombs and monuments remain.

Shrines have been erected to the memory of St Alban and St Amphibalus, and in the Lady chapel lie many historical personages, including Henry Percy, Duke of Northumberland, son of Hotspur; and Lord Clifford (killed in the first battle of St Albans). Great interest attaches to the high altar screen, erected by Abbot William Wallingford in the 15th century, the chantry of Abbot Ramyge, the Holy Rood screen, the watching chamber in the south wing of the transept, and also to the window in the south aisle representing the martyrdom of St Alban, below which is the following inscription--

MDCXXIII

“This image of our frailty, painted glass, Shows when the life and death of Alban was, A knight beheads the Martyr, but so soon His eyes dropt out to see what he had done. And leaving their own head, seemed with a tear To wail the other head laid mangled there Because, before, his eyes no tear had shed His eyes themselves like tears fall from his head. Ah! bloody fact that whilst St Alban dies The murderer himself weeps out his eyes.

In zeal to heaven where holy Alban’s bones Were buried, Offa raised this heap of stones; Which after by devouring time abused, Into the dying parts infused[10] By James the first of England to become The glory of Alban’s proto-martyrdom.”