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{{short description|City in southern Hertfordshire, England}}
:''For other places named similarly, see [[St. Albans (disambiguation)]].''
{{Other places}}
{{infobox England place|
{{See also|St Albans City and District}}
|Place= St Albans
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2022}}
|Population= 129,000
{{infobox UK place
|District= [[City and District of St Albans]]
|County= [[Hertfordshire]]
|official_name = St Albans
|Region= [[East of England]]
|type = Cathedral city
|civil_parish = <!-- Unparished area-->
|Ceremonial= [[Hertfordshire]]
|Traditional= [[Hertfordshire]]
|country = England
|coordinates = {{coord|51.755|-0.336|display=inline,title}}
|Police= [[Hertfordshire Constabulary]]
|Constituency= [[St Albans (UK Parliament constituency)|St Albans]]
|shire_district = [[City of St Albans|St Albans]]
|PostalTown= ST ALBANS
|shire_county = [[Hertfordshire]]
|PostCode= AL1, AL2, AL3, AL4
|region = East of England
|constituency_westminster = [[St Albans (UK Parliament constituency)|St Albans]]
|DiallingCode= 01727
|post_town = ST. ALBANS
|GridReference= TL148073
|postcode_district = AL1-AL4
|Euro= [[East of England (European Parliament constituency)|East of England]]
|postcode_area = AL
|dial_code = 01727
|os_grid_reference = TL148073
|static_image_name = <!-- images and maps -----------> {{multiple image
| border = infobox
| perrow = 1/2/2/2/2
| total_width = 250
| image1 = St Albans market from the Clock Tower (164240202).jpg
| image2 = St Albans Town Hall (geograph 5236751).jpg
| image3 = St Albans Clock Tower.jpg
| image4 = Cathedral.png
| footer = From the top, View over the Marketplace, [[St Albans Town Hall|The Town Hall]],
[[Clock Tower, St Albans|The Clock Tower]],
[[St Albans Cathedral]]}}
|static_image_caption =
|static_image_2 = StAlbans-COA-PS1.svg
|static_image_2_caption = Coat of Arms
|static_image_2_width = 200px
|london_distance_mi = 19
|london_direction = SSE
|area_total_sq_mi = 6.99
|population = 82,146
}}
}}
'''St Albans''' (thus spelt, no apostrophe or dot) is the main urban area of the [[City and District of St Albans]] in southern [[Hertfordshire]], [[England]], around 22 miles (35.5km) north of central [[London]]. It was the first major town on the old [[Roman Britain|Roman]] road [[Watling Street]] for travellers heading north and was previously the Roman city of [[Verulamium]]. After the Roman withdrawal, and prior to becoming known as St Albans, the town was called ''Verlamchester'' or ''Wæclingacaester''.
'''St Albans''' ({{IPAc-en|s|ən|t|_|ˈ|ɔː|l|b|ən|z}}) is a [[cathedral city]] in [[Hertfordshire]],<ref name=EB1911>{{Cite EB1911 |wstitle=St Albans |volume=23 |page=1012}}</ref> England, east of [[Hemel Hempstead]] and west of [[Hatfield, Hertfordshire|Hatfield]], {{convert|20|mi|km}} north-west of [[London]], {{convert|8|mi|km}} south-west of [[Welwyn Garden City]] and {{convert|11|mi|km}} south-east of [[Luton]]. St Albans was the first major town on the old [[Roman Britain|Roman]] road of [[Watling Street]] for travellers heading north and became the city of [[Verulamium]]. It is within the [[London commuter belt]] and the [[Greater London Built-up Area]].


==Name==
St Albans takes its name from the first British saint, [[Saint Alban|Alban]].<ref name=EB1911/> 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.<ref name="Medieval St. Albans">{{cite web|title=Medieval St. Albans|url=http://www.salbani.co.uk/Med%20Web/holywell_hill.htm|access-date=3 November 2013}}</ref>


==The locality==
==History==
{{Main|History of St Albans}}
Housing is expensive relative to England in general, mainly due to fast commuting to [[London]], especially the [[City of London|City]], by train. The local road transport network is another factor: St Albans is at the meeting point of the [[A5183 road|A5183]] (the old [[A5 road|A5]] or [[Watling Street]]) and the [[A1081 road|A1081]] (the old [[A6 road|A6]]); the [[M25 motorway|M25]] runs east-west just south of the city; and both the [[M1 motorway|M1]], only a few miles to the west, and the [[A1 road|A1(M)]], five miles to the east, can provide fast connections to London and the north.


=== Iron Age ===
Apart from its historic core, St Albans is highly [[suburban]] in character, with much of its housing stock built in the inter-war years and during post-war expansion. Now entirely surrounded by the Metropolitan [[Green Belt]], it is seeing significant 'infill' development and pressure to relax the Green Belt restrictions.
There was an [[Iron Age]] settlement known as<ref name=niblett>Rosalind Niblett, ''Roman Hertfordshire'', Wimborne: Dovecote Press, 1995</ref> [[Verlamion]], or Verlamio, near the site of the present city, the centre of [[Tasciovanus]]' power and a major centre of the [[Catuvellauni]] from about 20 BC until shortly after the [[Roman Empire|Roman]] invasion of AD 43.<ref>John Wacher, 1976, ''The Towns of Roman Britain'', p. 202, both for Tasciovanus and the Catuvellauni.</ref> The name "Verlamion" is Celtic, meaning "settlement over or by the marsh".<ref name=niblett/> The town was on Prae Hill, {{cvt|2|km}} to the west of modern St Albans, now covered by the village of St Michael's, [[Verulamium Park]] and the [[Gorhambury]] Estate.<ref name=niblett/> Although excavations done in 1996 produced finds which include silver coins from the Roman Republic era dating from 90/80 BC. There was evidence of trade with the republic and that a settlement already existed on the site 50 years before Julius Caesar attempted to invade Britain. However, it is believed that the tribal capital was moved to the site by Tasciovanus (around 25 to 5&nbsp;BC). [[Cunobelinus]] may have constructed [[Beech Bottom Dyke]], a defensive earthwork near the settlement whose significance is uncertain.


===Roman===
The council estimates that 20% of the working population travel to London to work, while local business provides 46,000 jobs of which around 46% are filled by inward commuters. The local economy is made up mainly of offices, small enterprises, retailing and tourism-based enterprises, 80% of which employ fewer than 10 staff. In the working population, 33% are employed in professional and managerial occupations. Self-employment in [[Hertfordshire]] runs at 15% of the workforce, compared with a UK average of 12%.
[[File:StAlbansRomanWall-PS01.JPG|thumb|Remains of Roman wall]]
[[image:arms-st-albans.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Arms of St Albans City and District Council]]
The Roman city of [[Verulamium]], the second-largest town in [[Roman Britain]] after [[Londinium]], developed from the Iron Age settlement<ref name=niblett/> and was granted the rank of ''[[municipium]]'' around AD&nbsp;50, meaning that its citizens had what were known as "Latin Rights", a lesser citizenship status than a {{lang|la|[[Colonia (Roman)|colonia]]}} possessed. It grew to a significant town, and as such received the attentions of [[Boudica]] of the [[Iceni]] in 61, when Verulamium was sacked and burnt on her orders.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/boudicca.shtml|title=BBC – History – Boudicca}}</ref> Excavations preceding the museum's new entrance done in 1996–97 within the centre of the Roman town gave archaeologists the chance to date a black ash layer to 60–65 AD, thus confirming the Roman written record. It grew steadily; by the early 3rd century, it covered an area of about {{convert|125|acre|ha}}, behind a deep ditch and wall. Verulamium contained a [[forum (Roman)|forum]], [[basilica]] and a [[Roman theatre (structure)|theatre]], much of which were damaged during two fires, one in 155 and the other in around 250. These were repaired and continued in use in the 4th century. The theatre was disused by the end of the 4th century. One of the few extant Roman inscriptions in Britain is found on the remnants of the forum (see [[Verulamium Forum inscription]]). The town was rebuilt in [[Rock (geology)|stone]] rather than [[timber]] at least twice over the next 150 years. Roman occupation ended between 400 and 450 AD.
There are two [[train]] stations in St Albans. The [[St Albans railway station|City Station]] is about 750 metres east of the city centre and is served by the [[Thameslink]] railway line, with trains (operated since April 2006 by [[First Capital Connect]]) to [[Bedford, Bedfordshire|Bedford]], [[Luton]], [[London Luton Airport]], [[London]], [[Sutton, London|Sutton]], [[Wimbledon, London|Wimbledon]], [[London Gatwick Airport]], and [[Brighton]]. The [[St Albans Abbey railway station|Abbey Station]] is about one kilometre south of the city centre and is served by the "[[Abbey Flyer]]", operated by [[Silverlink]]. A single train runs between St Albans and [[Watford Junction station|Watford Junction]], starting a new round trip every 45 minutes during most of the day. This line is a historical accident, the result of the Earl of Verulam refusing to sell land to the railway company then driving North from Watford.


The body of St Alban was probably buried outside the city walls in a Roman cemetery near the present [[St Albans Cathedral|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.<ref name="Garcia: Saint Alban and the Cult of Saints in Late Antique Britain">{{cite journal|last1= Garcia|first1= Michael|title= Saint Alban and the Cult of Saints in Late Antique Britain|url= https://www.academia.edu/3585748|website= academia.edu|date= January 2010|access-date= 19 November 2014}}</ref><ref name=Vermaat:>{{cite web|last1= Constantius of Lyon|last2= Trans. Vermaat|first2= Robert|title= The text of the Vita sancti Germani|url= http://www.vortigernstudies.org.uk/artsou/constex.htm|website= vortigernstudies.org.uk|access-date= 19 November 2014}}</ref><ref name=biddle>[[Martin Biddle]], "Alban and the Anglo-Saxon Church", in Robert Runcie (ed), ''Cathedral and City: St Albans Ancient and Modern,'' Martyn Associates, 1977</ref><ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.stalbanscathedral.org/history/story-of-st-alban| title = "Story of St Alban", Cathedral and Abbey Church of St Alban.| date = 8 April 2019}}
There is easy access to [[London Luton Airport]] by both rail and road. [[London Heathrow Airport]] is around a 30 minute road journey.
</ref><ref>
{{cite journal| url = http://www.persee.fr/doc/efr_0000-0000_1989_act_123_1_3580| title = Kenneth. S. Painter, "Recent discoveries in Britain", ''Publications de l'École française de Rome'', 1989, Vol. 123, No. 1, pp. 2031–2071| journal = Publications de l'École Française de Rome| year = 1989| volume = 123| issue = 1| pages = 2031–2071| last1 = Painter| first1 = Kenneth}}
</ref>


A few traces of the Roman city remain visible, such as parts of the [[city walls]], a [[hypocaust]] – still ''[[in situ]]'' under a mosaic floor, and the theatre, which is on land belonging to the [[Earl of Verulam]], as well as items in the museum. Further remains beneath nearby agricultural land have only had a few exploratory trenches, which have never been fully excavated and were seriously threatened by deep [[ploughing]], which ceased in 2005 after compensation was agreed. Test trenches in 2003 confirmed that serious damage had occurred to buildings on the northern side of Old Watling Street by deep ploughing. Permission needs to be granted to enable the full extent of the damage to the western half of Verulamium to be investigated.
GCSE results for District schools show 63% of pupils achieving 5 A* - C grades, against a national average of around 46%.


===Anglo-Saxon===
The centre of the city suffers significant road traffic congestion because of the city's many small surrounding streets, high car use, poor take-up and provision of local public transport, and insufficient measures to persuade motorists to drive around rather than through the centre. [[City and District of St Albans|The council]] estimates that 75% of traffic entering the city is through-traffic. From [[2004]] the problem was heavily exacerbated by a series of road works, prompting severe criticism of [[Hertfordshire]] [[County Council]]'s ''Hertfordshire Highways'' agency. In 2006 the Agency received further criticism for a multi-million pound overspend and late delivery of works to the St Peter's Street area.
After the Roman withdrawal the town became the centre of the territory or ''[[Regiones|regio]]'' of the [[Anglo-Saxon]] ''[[Waeclingas]]'' tribe.<ref>{{cite book|last=Williamson|first=Tom|title=The Origins of Hertfordshire|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=L87sjkrXr60C&pg=PA64|access-date=2014-09-13|year=2000|publisher=Manchester University Press|location=Manchester|isbn=071904491X|page=64 }}</ref>


[[St Albans Cathedral|St Albans Abbey]] and the associated [[Anglo-Saxon settlement of Britain|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]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.stalbanscathedral.org/history/chapter-house/history |title=Chapter House History – The Cathedral and Abbey Church of Saint Alban |publisher=Stalbanscathedral.org |access-date=2013-11-13 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131113154308/http://www.stalbanscathedral.org/history/chapter-house/history |archive-date=13 November 2013 }}</ref> 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.<ref>Loyn, ''Anglo-Saxon England and the Norman Conquest'', 2nd ed. 1991:11.</ref>
A [[street market]] is held in Market Place and St Peter's Street on Wednesdays and Saturdays, as it has been for many hundreds of years. There is also a monthly farmers' market, normally on the second Sunday.


===Medieval===
St Albans is one of several places that, by repute, has the most [[pubs]] per square mile in the country ([[Edinburgh]], [[Norwich, England|Norwich]], [[Nottingham]], [[Otley]] and [[Rochdale]] are other claimants). It also claims to have the oldest pub in England, named ''[[Ye Olde Fighting Cocks]]'' (Nottingham again providing a counter-claimant in ''[[Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem]]'').
[[Image:Stalbanshighstreet1807 cropped640.jpg|thumb|St Albans High Street in 1807, showing the [[shutter telegraph]] on top of the city's Clock Tower]]


The medieval town grew on the hill to the east of Wæclingacaester where the [[Benedictine]] [[St Albans Abbey|Abbey of St Albans]] was founded by [[Ulsinus]] in 793.<ref name=1948pageant/> There is some evidence that the original site was higher up the hill than the present building, which was begun in 1077. St Albans Abbey was the principal medieval [[abbey]] in England. The scribe Matthew Vickers lived there and the first draft of [[Magna Carta]] was drawn up there.{{Citation needed|reason="While the first meetings of clergy and barons that would produce the Magna Carta is well described in relation to St Albans Abbey, the only reference to Matthew Vickers easily findable with Google relates to a paedophile"|date=December 2019}} It became a parish church after the [[Dissolution of the monasteries|dissolution of the Benedictine abbey]] in 1539 and was made a cathedral in 1877.
The main free local weekly newspapers are ''The Herts Advertiser'', and the ''St Albans and Harpenden Review''. The sister title of the ''Review'' is the paid-for ''St Albans Observer'', which also has an edition for Harpenden. The ''Herts Advertiser'' celebrated its 150th anniversary in [[2005]].


[[St Albans School, Hertfordshire|St Albans School]] was founded in AD 948. Matthew Paris was educated there and it is the only school in the English-speaking world to have educated a [[Pope]] ([[Pope Adrian IV|Adrian IV]]). Now a [[Public school (UK)|public school]] it has, since 1871, occupied a site to the west of the Abbey and includes the 14th-century [[Abbey Gateway, St. Albans|Abbey Gateway]]. One of its buildings was a hat factory, a link with the city's industrial past.
==History==
{{main|History of St Albans}}
[[Image:stalbans-tower.jpg|thumb|right|Clock tower]]
[[Image:Catedrala_proba.jpg|thumb|right|The cathedral]]
[[Image:Ye_Olde_Fighting_Cocks.JPG|thumb|right|Ye Olde Fighting Cocks]]
[[Image:Main_Street_5.JPG|thumb|right|The Old Town Hall and Market Place, viewed from St Peter's Street]]


On Abbey Mill Lane, the road between the Abbey and the school, are the palaces of the Bishops of [[Bishop of St Albans|St Albans]] and [[Bishop of Hertford|Hertford]] and [[Ye Olde Fighting Cocks]], claimed to be the oldest pub in England.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Kitton|first1=F.G.|title=The Old Inns of St Albans|journal=Transactions of the St Albans & Hertfordshire Architectural & Archaeological Society|date=1899–1900|page=260}}</ref>
The St Albans area has a long history of settlement. The Celtic [[Catuvellauni]] tribe had a settlement at Prae Hill a mile or so to the west. The Roman town of [[Verulamium]], second-largest town in Roman Britain after [[Londinium]], was built alongside this in the valley of the [[River Ver]] a little nearer to the present town centre.


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.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.stalbansmuseums.org.uk/visit/clock-tower|title=Clock Tower|website=St Albans Museums|language=en|access-date=2019-12-21}}</ref> 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.
The mediaeval town grew up on the hill to the east of this around [[Benedictine]] [[St Albans Abbey]]. This at the spot where tradition has it that [[Saint Alban|St Alban]], the first British [[christianity|Christian]] martyr, was beheaded sometime before AD [[324]]. It was, at one time, the principal [[abbey]] in England and the first draft of [[Magna Carta]] was drawn up there, reflecting its political importance. The Abbey Church (formally ''the Cathedral & Abbey Church of St Alban'' but still known locally as ''The Abbey'') became the parish church when it was bought by the local people at the [[dissolution of the monasteries]]. It was made a cathedral in 1877 when the City Charter was granted. There is evidence that the original site was somewhat higher up the hill than the present building and there had certainly been successive abbeys before the current building was started in 1077.


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.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=pg8HAAAAQAAJ&dq=battle+of+st+albans&pg=PR10 History of Verulam and St. Alban's] S. G. Shaw, 1815 pages 64–66. Accessed April 2011</ref>
[[St Albans School (Hertfordshire)|St Albans School]], which occupies a site to the West of the Abbey and includes the former Norman Abbey Gateway, was founded in AD 948 and is the only school in the English-speaking world to have educated a [[Pope]]. It included in its buildings until comparatively recently a converted former hat factory, a link with the town's industrial past. Nearby [[Luton]] was also a notable centre for the hat making industry.


A [[St Albans Market|street market]] on Wednesdays and Saturdays, founded by Abbot [[Ulsinus]], still flourishes.<ref name=1948pageant>St Albans Millenary Pageant Souvenir Programme, n.p, 1948</ref> In 1553, Henry's son [[Edward VI]] sold the right to hold the market to a group of local merchants and landowners via [[letters patent]] which also incorporated St Albans as a [[borough]].<ref name="Freeman">{{cite book|last=Freeman|first=Mark|url=https://www.carnegiepublishing.co.uk/product/st-albans-history/|title=St Albans: a history|publisher=Carnegie Publishing|year=2008|isbn=978-1-85936-190-0|location=Lancaster|page=137}}</ref> The old market hall, which dated from around 1596, was replaced by the [[Corn Exchange, St Albans|Corn Exchange]] in 1857.<ref>{{cite book|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=0SGtCwAAQBAJ&pg=PA29 |title= St Albans History Tour|first=Robert |last=Bard|year= 2016|publisher=Amberley Publishing|isbn= 978-1445657622}}</ref>
The road between the abbey and the school, running down to Verulamium, is called Abbey Mill Lane. On this road are the palaces of the Bishops of St Albans and Hertford. ''[[Ye Olde Fighting Cocks|The Fighting Cocks]]'' public house is at the Verulamium end of this road.


===Modern===
The growth of St Albans was generally slow before the 20th century, reflecting its status as a [[rural]] market town, a pilgrimage site, and the first overnight coaching stop of the route to and from [[London]] - a fact which also accounts for its many inns, many dating from Tudor times. In the inter-war years it became a popular centre for the [[electronics]] industry. In the post-[[World War II]] years it was expanded significantly as part of the post-War redistribution of population out of [[Greater London]] that also saw the creation of [[new town]]s.
[[File:George Street, St Albans.jpg|thumb|Tudor buildings on George Street]]


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%.<ref name=briggs>Asa Briggs, "The Victorian City", in ‘'Cathedral & City: St Albans Ancient and Modern'’, ed. [[Robert Runcie]], Martyn Associates, 1977</ref>
The city today shows evidence of building and excavation from all periods of its history and it is a tourist destination. Notable buildings include the Abbey and the early 15th century Clock Tower (pictured). The clock tower is one of only two similar towers in England; it is also the site of an [[Eleanor cross]], which was pulled down in 1703 due to neglect, replaced by the town pump. A fountain was erected in its place in 1874, now relocated to Victoria Place.


In 1877, in response to a public petition, Queen [[Queen Victoria|Victoria]] issued the second royal charter, which granted [[City status in the United Kingdom|city status]] to the borough and [[Cathedral city|Cathedral]] status to the former Abbey Church. The new [[Diocese of St Albans|diocese]] was established in the same year, in the main from parts of the large [[Diocese of Rochester]].
One of the roads that runs into the city of St Albans is Holywell Hill, which takes its name from the story of St Alban: legend has it that his severed head rolled down the hill from the execution site and into a well at the bottom (some versions have a well springing from the site at which the head stopped).


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.
The mixed character of St Albans has made it a popular filming location. The area of Romeland, directly north of the Abbey Gateway and the walls of the Abbey and school grounds, can be seen masquerading as an Oxford college in some episodes of ''[[Inspector Morse]]'' (as can several local pubs). 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]]''.


==Twinning==
==Governance==
St Albans has two tiers of local government, at district and county level: [[St Albans City and District|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.
St Albans is [[town twinning|twinned]] with:
*[[Fano]], [[Italy]]
*[[Nyíregyháza]], [[Hungary]]
*[[Nevers]], [[France]]
*[[Odense]], [[Denmark]]
*[[Worms, Germany]]


=== Past ===
In addition, there are ''friendship links'' with:
{{Infobox historic subdivision
*[[Sylhet]], [[Bangladesh]]
*[[HMS St Albans (F83)]]
|Name=St Albans
|subdivision_type=[[Ancient borough]] (1553{{ndash}}1835)<br>[[Municipal borough]] (1836{{ndash}}1974)
|HQ=St Albans
<!-- Statuses -->
|Start=12 May 1553 (Ancient borough)<br>1 January 1836 (Municipal borough)
|End=31 March 1974
|Replace=[[St Albans City and District]]
<!-- Memberships -->
| membership_title1 = County Council
| membership1 = [[Hertfordshire County Council|Hertfordshire]]
}}

The early administrative history of the town of St Albans is closely tied to [[St Albans Cathedral|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.<ref>{{cite web|author=Kate Morris |url=http://www.stalbanshistory.org/page_id__345_path__0p2p145p147p.aspx |title=Other publications &#124; Research papers &#124; Places &#124; St Peter's in the Borough &#124; A lecture given by Kate Morris on 26 November 2010 |publisher=St Albans History}}</ref> On 12 May 1553 the town was granted a charter by [[Edward VI]], incorporating it as a [[ancient borough|borough]] with a mayor.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Page |first1=William |title=A History of the County of Hertford, Volume 2 |date=1908 |publisher=Victoria County History |location=London |pages=477{{ndash}}483 |url=https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/herts/vol2/pp477-483 |access-date=30 January 2022}}</ref>

The borough consisted of the [[ancient parish]] of St Albans (also known as the Abbey parish) and parts of the parishes of [[St Michael, Hertfordshire|St Michael]] and [[St Peter, Hertfordshire|St Peter]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10000725/relationships |title=St Albans Borough through time &#124; Census tables with data for the Ancient District |publisher=Visionofbritain.org.uk}}</ref> The borough was reformed by the [[Municipal Corporations Act 1835]] to become a [[municipal borough]], and the boundary was adjusted to additionally include part of the parish of [[St Stephen, Hertfordshire|St Stephen]]. On 28 August 1877 the borough gained [[City status in the United Kingdom|city status]], following the elevation of St Albans Abbey to become a cathedral.<ref>{{cite journal |title=Whitehall, September 11, 1877 |journal=The London Gazette |date=11 September 1877 |issue=24502 |page=5185 |url=https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/24502/page/5185 |access-date=30 January 2022}}</ref> The boundary was also adjusted in 1877 to include part of the parish of [[Sandridge]].

The [[Local Government Act 1894]] divided parishes that were partly within municipal boroughs. The parts of St Michael, St Peter and Sandridge within the borough became the new parishes of St Michael Urban, St Peter Urban and Sandridge Urban. The part of St Stephen within the borough was absorbed by the parish of St Albans. The parishes that were formed outside the borough, that is [[St Michael Rural]], [[St Peter Rural]], [[Sandridge Rural]] and the reduced St Stephen, became part of [[St Albans Rural District]] on 28 December 1894.

[[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 [[Alban Arena|City Hall]] and adjoining buildings.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mcaslan.co.uk/work/st-albans-museum-and-gallery|title=St Albans Museum and Gallery|date=10 July 2018|publisher=John McAslan and Partners|access-date= 28 December 2020}}</ref>

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 [[county review order]] gaining more of St Michael Rural (890 acres), St Peter Rural (436 acres) and St Stephen (712 acres).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10213381/relationships |title=St Albans AP/CP through time &#124; Census tables with data for the Parish-level Unit |publisher=Visionofbritain.org.uk}}</ref> The population of the borough was 44,098 in 1951 and 50,293 in 1961.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10213381/cube/TOT_POP |title=St Albans AP/CP through time &#124; Population Statistics &#124; Total Population |publisher=Visionofbritain.org.uk}}</ref>

=== Present ===
[[File:StAlbans-PSX1.JPG|thumb|St Albans viewed from the [[Clock Tower, St Albans|Clock Tower]]: French Row (to the left), Market Place (to the right), St Peter's Street and the tower of St Peter's Church (centre)]]
{{Main|City and District of St Albans}}
The borough was abolished on 1 April 1974 and St Albans became part of the new, larger [[St Albans City and District]]. City status was transferred to the entire district by [[letters patent]] dated 9 July 1974.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=46352|page=7920|date=24 September 1974}}</ref> Local government services are now provided by [[Hertfordshire County Council]] (strategic services) and St Albans City and District Council. Eight [[Parish councils in England|local parish councils]] (limited local services) cover the parts of St Albans City and District that were previously in St Albans Rural District and Harpenden Urban District, but the area that was St Albans Borough prior to 1974 is an unparished area. Within this area, (the Ashley, Batchwood, Clarence, Cunningham, Marshalswick South, St Peters, Sopwell and Verulam wards) a City Neighbourhood Committee of the district council was set up in June 2013 with comparable responsibilities to parish councils for small parks, playgrounds, open spaces, war memorials, allotments and public conveniences.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.stalbans.gov.uk/council-and-democracy/press-room/items/2013/July/cityneighbourhoodcommitteetakesonlocalagenda.aspx |title=St Albans City & District Council – City Neighbourhood Committee takes on local agenda |publisher=Stalbans.gov.uk |date=1 July 2013 |access-date=28 November 2013 |archive-date=1 July 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170701060256/http://www.stalbans.gov.uk/council-and-democracy/press-room/items/2013/July/cityneighbourhoodcommitteetakesonlocalagenda.aspx |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.stalbans.gov.uk/council-and-democracy/press-room/items/2013/March-2013/cityneighbourhoodscommitteeunderscrutiny.aspx#0 |title=St Albans City & District Council – Proposed City Neighbourhoods Committee under scrutiny |publisher=Stalbans.gov.uk |date=1 March 2013}}</ref> The City and District Council built a new civic centre in 1989 adjoining the 1960s City Hall complex, which became known instead as the Alban Arena.

===Parliamentary representation===
{{Main|St Albans (UK Parliament constituency)}}
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.

{{Rothamsted weatherbox}}

===Neighbourhoods===
{{columns-list|colwidth=25em|
* 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, Hertfordshire|St Stephen]])
* The Camp
* Townsend
}}

===Nearby towns and villages===
{{Geographic location
|title = '''Neighbouring areas'''
|Northwest = [[Redbourn]]
|North = [[Harpenden]]
|Northeast = [[Welwyn Garden City]]
|West = [[Hemel Hempstead]]
|Centre = St Albans
|East = [[Hatfield, Hertfordshire|Hatfield]]
|Southwest = [[Watford]]
|South = [[Radlett]]
|Southeast = [[Potters Bar]]
}}
* Other nearby towns: [[Borehamwood]], [[Luton]], [[Stevenage]], [[Berkhamsted]], [[Chipping Barnet|Barnet]] (historically a separate town, part of [[Greater London]] since the 1960s)
* Nearby villages: [[Abbots Langley]], [[Kings Langley]], [[Bricket Wood]], [[Colney Heath]], [[Elstree]], [[Frogmore, Hertfordshire|Frogmore]], [[Lemsford]], [[London Colney]], [[Markyate]], [[Park Street, Hertfordshire|Park Street]], [[Radlett]], [[Redbourn]], [[Sandridge]], [[Wheathampstead]], [[Shenley]]
* Nearby hamlets: [[Chiswell Green]], [[Colney Street]]

==Transport==
===Road===
St Albans is north-east of the intersection between the [[M1 motorway|M1]] and [[M25 motorway|M25]] motorways. On the M1, its northern, central and southern junctions are 9, 7 and 6, respectively; on the M25, its western and eastern junctions are 21A and 22 respectively.

Notable A-roads serving the city include:
* The [[A414 road|A414]], which runs directly south of St Albans between [[Hemel Hempstead]] and [[Hatfield, Hertfordshire|Hatfield]] and links to M1 Junction 7/8;
* The [[A405 road|A405]], which provides a direct link to [[Watford]] via M25 junction 21A and M1 junction 6;
* The A5183 which runs north-west towards M1 junction 9 and [[Dunstable]] and south towards [[Edgware]] in north London; it forms the detrunked section of the London-[[Holyhead]] [[A5 road (Great Britain)|A5 road]].

===Railway===
Two railway stations serve the city:
* [[St Albans City railway station|St Albans City]], which is situated {{convert|0.5|mi|m}} east of the city centre. It lies on the [[Midland Main Line]] and is served by [[Govia Thameslink Railway|Thameslink]] services on a frequent and fast rail link to central [[London]]. Suburban services stop at all stations on the route, while express services are non-stop to {{rws|London St Pancras}}. Trains run northbound to [[Harpenden railway station|Harpenden]], [[Luton railway station|Luton]], [[Luton Airport Parkway railway station|Luton Airport Parkway]] and [[Bedford railway station|Bedford]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Timetables |work=Thameslink |date=10 December 2023 |access-date=27 May 2024 |url= https://www.thameslinkrailway.com/travel-information/plan-your-journey/timetables |quote=}}</ref>
* [[St Albans Abbey station|St Albans Abbey]], which is situated approximately {{convert|0.7|mi|km|0}} south-west of City station. It is the eastern terminus of the [[Abbey line]] from {{rws|Watford Junction}}.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Train timetables and schedules |work=London Northwestern Railway |date=10 December 2023 |access-date=27 May 2024 |url= https://www.londonnorthwesternrailway.co.uk/travel-information/journey-planning/train-timetables-and-schedules |quote=}}</ref>

===Buses===
St Albans is well served by local buses, with frequent services to local villages and major towns including Watford, Harpenden and Luton. Routes are operated predominantly run by [[Arriva Herts & Essex]], [[Uno (bus company)|Uno]], Red Eagle and [[Sullivan Buses]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=St Albans Bus Services |work=Bustimes.org |date=2024 |access-date=27 May 2024 |url= https://bustimes.org/localities/st-albans |quote=}}</ref> Buses in Hertfordshire are run under the Intalink Partnership [https://www.intalink.org.uk/services]

==Culture and media==
[[File:St Albans - St Michael's Church.jpg|thumb|[[St Michael's Church, St Albans|St Michael's Church]]]]

St Albans has a cultural life, with regular concerts and theatre productions held at venues including [[Trestle Theatre|Trestle Arts Base]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.trestle.org.uk/ |title=Trestle Theatre Company, St Albans |publisher=trestle.org.uk |access-date=17 July 2010}}</ref> St Albans Abbey, The Horn,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thehorn.co.uk/history|title=History}}</ref> The Pioneer Club,<ref name="History">{{Cite web|url=https://www.pioneerclub.co.uk/?page_id=3762|title = History}}</ref> Maltings Arts Theatre,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.stalbans.gov.uk/mat/ |title=The Maltings Arts Theatre, St Albans |publisher=Stalbans.gov.uk |access-date=17 July 2010}}</ref> the [[Alban Arena]], the Abbey Theatre,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abbeytheatre.org.uk/ |title=Abbey Theatre, Trestle Arts Base, St Albans |publisher=Abbeytheatre.org.uk |access-date=17 July 2010}}</ref> St Peter's Church and St Saviour's Church, given by organisations including St Albans Bach Choir,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.stalbansbachchoir.org.uk/ |title=St Albans Bach Choir |publisher=St Albans Bach Choir |date=10 July 2010 |access-date=17 July 2010}}</ref> [[St Albans Cathedral Choir]], St Albans Cathedral Girls' Choir, St Albans Symphony Orchestra,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.saso.org.uk |title=St Albans Symphony Orchestra |publisher=Saso.org.uk |date=11 July 2010 |access-date=17 July 2010}}</ref> St Albans Chamber Choir,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.stalbanschamberchoir.org.uk/ |title=St Albans Chamber Choir |publisher=St Albans Chamber Choir |date=25 April 2010 |access-date=17 July 2010}}</ref> St Albans Chamber Opera,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hertsdirect.org/comdirectory/comvol/hobbi2y/hymusi3y/operasoc4/808260 |title=St Albans Chamber Opera |publisher=Hertsdirect.org |access-date=17 July 2010}}</ref> The Company of Ten,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hertsdirect.org/comdirectory/comvol/hobbi2y/hydram3y/amdramstalbans/514749 |title=The Company of Ten, St Albans |publisher=Hertsdirect.org |access-date=17 July 2010}}</ref> St Albans Choral Society,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.choralsociety.com/ |title=St Albans Choral Society |publisher=Choralsociety.com |access-date=17 July 2010}}</ref> and St Albans Organ Theatre.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.stalbansorgantheatre.org.uk/ |title=St Albans Organ Theatre |publisher=St Albans Organ Theatre |access-date=17 July 2010}}</ref> St Albans is also home to Trestle Theatre Company,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.trestle.org.uk/p80.html |title=Trestle Theatre Company History |publisher=trestle.org.uk |access-date=17 July 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100113030142/http://www.trestle.org.uk/p80.html |archive-date=13 January 2010 }}</ref> 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,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.besttheatrearts.com/ |title=Best Theatre Arts |publisher=Best Theatre Arts |access-date=17 July 2010}}</ref> 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 [[Odyssey Cinema, St Albans|Odyssey Cinema]] (formerly the Odeon) on London Road is an independent, [[arthouse cinema]] that was restored and re-opened in 2014. Originally opened in 1931, it stands on the site of the Alpha Picture House, Hertfordshire's first cinema, which was opened in 1908 by film-making pioneer [[Arthur Melbourne-Cooper]].<ref name="odyssey-history">{{cite web|title=The Odyssey History|url=http://odysseypictures.co.uk/history/|website=Odyssey Cinema St Albans|access-date=23 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180323114025/http://odysseypictures.co.uk/history/|archive-date=23 March 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-30428185 |title=Restored art-deco cinema reopens |date=13 December 2014 |publisher=BBC News |access-date=23 March 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180323131451/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-30428185 |archive-date=23 March 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref>

[[File:The Maltings Shopping Centre (Panorama).jpg|thumb|The Maltings [[Shopping mall|Shopping Centre]] in St Albans]]
The Watercress nature reserve is by the River Ver and is run by the Watercress Wildlife Association.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.watercresslnr.org.uk/ |title=Watercress Wildlife Association, St Albans |publisher=Watercress Wildlife Association |access-date=23 May 2013}}</ref>

[[File:Market Place, St Albans.JPG|thumb|[[St Albans Town Hall]]]]
[[St Albans Museums]] runs two museums: [[St Albans Museums#Verulamium Museum|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 Museums#St Albans Museum + Gallery|St Albans Museum + Gallery]], located in the old [[St Albans Town Hall]], which focuses on the history of the town and of Saint Alban.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.stalbansmuseums.org.uk/Sites |title= St Albans Museums |publisher= St Albans Museums |access-date= 11 August 2011 |url-status= dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110817042402/https://www.stalbansmuseums.org.uk/Sites |archive-date= 17 August 2011 }}</ref>

Because of its proximity to London, television signals are received from the [[Crystal Palace transmitting station|Crystal Palace]] TV transmitter, placing St Albans in the [[BBC London]] and [[ITV London]] areas.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://ukfree.tv/transmitters/tv/Crystal_Palace | title=Crystal Palace (Greater London, England) Full Freeview transmitter | date=May 2004 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://ukfree.tv/transmitters/tv/St_Albans | title=St Albans (Hertfordshire, England) Freeview Light transmitter | date=May 2004 }}</ref>

The local radio stations are served by [[BBC Three Counties Radio]] on 92.1 FM, [[Heart Hertfordshire]] on 96.6 FM and [[Radio Verulam|Mix 92.6]] on 92.6FM, a community radio station.

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 (TV series)|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 (TV series)|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 [[St Albans City railway station|mainline station]] appeared in the title sequence of the TV series ''[[Porridge (1974 TV series)|Porridge]]'', starring [[Ronnie Barker]]. The 2001 film ''[[Birthday Girl (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 (film)|Incendiary]]'', starring [[Michelle Williams (actress)|Michelle Williams]], [[Ewan McGregor]] and [[Matthew Macfadyen]], were filmed in St Albans, focusing in particular on the Abbey and the Abbey Gateway. In 2018, a Gucci advert featuring Harry Styles was filmed at a Fish and Chips shop in Fleetville, St Albans. It has also been used in the setting for the fictional town ''Waltringham'', in the TV show ''[[Humans (TV series)|Humans]]''. In early 2022 Verulamium Park was used as a filming location for [[Wonka (film)|''Wonka'']] starring [[Timothée Chalamet]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=2022-03-02 |title=Parts of Verulamium Park in St Albans due to close 'for Wonka filming' |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-60585176 |access-date=2023-01-15}}</ref>

==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.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sportengland.org/index/get_resources/research/active_people/active_people_survey_headline_results.htm |title=Sport England—Active People Survey |publisher=Sportengland.org |access-date=17 July 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100225091431/http://www.sportengland.org/index/get_resources/research/active_people/active_people_survey_headline_results.htm |archive-date=25 February 2010 }}</ref>

===Cricket===
[[File:Cricket Pavilion, Clarence Park - geograph.org.uk - 121356.jpg|thumb|[[Cricket pavilion]] at [[Clarence Park, St Albans|Clarence Park]]]]

Clarence Park plays host to St Albans Cricket Club.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.stalbanscc.com |title=St Albans Cricket Club |publisher=Stalbanscc.com |access-date=17 July 2010}}</ref> 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 [[St Albans City FC]]: its stadium is on the edge of Clarence Park and the team won promotion from the [[Conference South]] League in 2005–06. It played in the [[Conference Premier|Nationwide Conference]] Division of the [[Football Conference]] for the 2006–07 season, but finished at the bottom of the table and was relegated.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.footballconference.co.uk/Table/FC_League_Table_Page/0,14387,,00.html|title=Football Conference – League Table – Nationwide Conference|date=27 November 2005|url-status=bot: unknown|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051127091331/http://www.footballconference.co.uk/Table/FC_League_Table_Page/0,14387,,00.html|archive-date=27 November 2005}}</ref>

===Gymnastics===
St Albans Gymnastics Club, founded in 2005, provides the St Albans area with recreational classes as well as a professionally managed competitive squad.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.stalbansgymclub.com |title=St Albans Gymnastics Club |publisher=stalbansgymclub.com |access-date=2 September 2010}}</ref>

===Hockey===
St Albans is also home to [[St Albans Hockey Club]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.stalbanshc.co.uk/ |title=St Albans Hockey Club |publisher=Stalbanshc.co.uk |date=17 April 2010 |access-date=17 July 2010}}</ref> 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===
[[Old Albanian RFC]] is a [[rugby union]] club that plays at the Old Albanian sports complex. They play in [[National League 1]] [[English rugby union system|the third tier of the English rugby union system]]. Saracens A team and OA Saints Women's Rugby team also play here. This complex hosts the offices of the [[Premiership Rugby]] club [[Saracens FC|Saracens]] (and have recently moved their home ground to [[Barnet Copthall|Barnet]]).
[[St Albans RFC]] play at Boggymead Spring in Smallford.
Verulamians RFC (formerly Old Verulamians) play at Cotlandswick in [[London Colney]].

===Skateboarding===
St Albans is home to one of the country's oldest indoor [[skateparks]],<ref name="History"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.hertsad.co.uk/lifestyle/property/area-guide-bernards-heath-st-albans-8600982|title = Area Guide: The popular Bernards Heath area of St Albans|date = 14 January 2022}}</ref> the Pioneer Skatepark in Heathlands Drive, next to the former fire station. Its ramps are available to all [[skateboarding|skateboarders]] and [[inline skates|inliners]]. A new outside mini ramp was built in March 2005. A second outdoor mini ramp was opened at Easter 2009.

===Links with other sports===
St Albans is additionally home to a community of [[traceurs]] from around Hertfordshire.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hertsparkour.co.uk |title=Hertfordshire Parkour |publisher=Hertsparkour.co.uk |access-date=17 July 2010}}</ref>

St Albans was once home to the then most prestigious [[Steeplechase (horse racing)|steeplechase]] in England. The Great St Albans chase attracted the best horses and riders from across Britain and Ireland in the 1830s and was held in such high esteem that when it clashed with the [[1837 Grand National]] the top horses and riders chose to bypass [[Aintree]]. Without warning the race was discontinued in 1839 and was quickly forgotten.

St Albans was once home to [[Samuel Ryder]], the founder of the [[Ryder Cup]]. He ran a very successful packet seeds business in the 1890s which at one time he ran from a packing warehouse on Holywell Hill (became [[Café Rouge]] until closure in 2023). His interest in golf and sponsorship led to his donation of the now famous [[Ryder Cup]]. He is buried in Hatfield Road Cemetery, where in [[London Olympics 2012|July 2012]] the [[2012 Summer Olympics torch relay|Olympic Torch Relay]] passed by to honour him.

==Education==
[[File:20040409-003-abbey-gateway.jpg|thumb|The Abbey Gateway, now part of [[St Albans School, Hertfordshire|St Albans School]]]]
St Albans has [[List of schools in St Albans|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 ==
St Albans is [[sister city|twinned]] with:
* [[Odense]], [[Region of Southern Denmark|Syddanmark]], Denmark
* [[Nevers]], [[Bourgogne-Franche-Comté]], France
* [[Worms, Germany|Worms]], [[Rhineland-Palatinate]], Germany
* [[Nyíregyháza]], [[Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg]], Hungary
* [[Fano]], [[Province of Pesaro and Urbino|Pesaro and Urbino]], [[Marche]], Italy
* [[Sylhet]], Bangladesh


==Miscellany==
==Notable people==
{{main|List of people from St Albans}}
*The [[Royal Navy]] has used six vessels with the name [[HMS St Albans|HMS ''St Albans'']].
*The first meeting of the [[Campaign for Real Ale|Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA)]] was held in St Albans. Although long thought to have taken place in the Farriers Arms in Lower Dagnall Street (which has a blue plaque commemorating the event), a number of those present insist that the meeting was actually held in the Lower Red Lion in Fishpool Street. The latter was certainly the first pub to revert to selling [[real ale]] ([[Young's Brewery|Young's]] Bitter) as a result of the Campaign. The organisation still has its head office in Hatfield Road. The local branch holds an annual [[beer]] festival in St Albans. In recent years this has been a four day event starting on a Wednesday near the end of September.
*An experimental water tank was built alongside London Road, St Albans for the [[Vickers]] shipbuilding company in [[1912]] on a site measuring 680 by 100 feet. Three years later in [[1915]], the first private [[wind tunnel]] was also built here, but moved to their [[Weybridge]] works shortly after [[World War I|the First World War]]. From December 1918 the test tank was used in developing fuselage profiles for [[amphibious aircraft]], such as the [[Vickers Viking|Vickers Type 54 Viking]], completed during [[1919]].
*St Albans is home to one of the country's oldest and finest indoor [[skateparks]] at the Pioneer Youth Club, in Heathlands Drive, next to the fire station. Its ramps are available to all [[skateboarding|skateboarders]] and [[inline skates|inliners]]. A new outside mini ramp was built in March 2005. As well as being available to skateboarders, the Pioneer Club hosts regular gigs for local bands.
*The local football team is [[St Albans City F.C.|St Albans City FC]]: its stadium is on the edge of Clarence Park and the team plays in the [[Conference South]]. There is also the Old Albanian Rugby Club, which has a large facility known as the Old Albanian sports complex or the Woollam Playing Fields to the north of the city centre and which is also the home of the [[Saracens F.C.|Saracens]] A team and Zurich A League.
* The [[1957]] [[April Fool's Day]] spoof edition of BBC documentary series ''[[Panorama (television)|Panorama]]'', which dealt with the fictitious Swiss [[spaghetti trees|spaghetti]] harvest, was filmed partly at the (now closed) Pasta Foods factory on London Road, St Albans.
===Notable people===
*[[Rod Argent]] (b. [[1945]]), musician and songwriter. [[The Zombies]] (Argent with [[Colin Blunstone]], [[Paul Atkinson]] and [[Hugh Grundy]]) was formed at [[St Albans School (Hertfordshire)|St Albans School]]
*[[Francis Bacon]] ([[1561]]-[[1626]]), noted [[philosopher]], scientist and statesman, lived at Old Gorhambury House
*[[Nicholas Bacon]] ([[1509]]-[[1579]]), [[Lord Keeper]] of the Great Seal under Queen [[Elizabeth I of England|Elizabeth I]], built Old Gorhambury House
*[[Sacha Baron Cohen]], (aka [[Ali G]]), (b. [[1971]]), attended school in St Albans before moving to [[Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School]] in Elstree
*[[Nicholas Breakspear]] (c.[[1100]]-[[1159]]), later became [[Pope Adrian IV]]
*[[Cheryl Campbell]] (b. 1949), actor
* [[Paul Cattermole]] (b. [[1977]]), former member of [[S Club 7]] was born in St Albans
*[[Ralph Chubb]] ([[1892]]-[[1960]]), eccentric lithographer
* [[William Cowper, 1st Earl Cowper]] (c. [[1665]]-[[1723]]), Lord Chancellor of England
*[[David Essex]] (b. [[1947]]), singer, lives in St Albans
*[[Siobhan Fahey]] (b. [[1957]]), singer from [[Bananarama]] and [[Shakespear's Sister]], attended Loretto College
*[[Les Ferdinand]] (b. [[1966]]), England footballer, lives in nearby [[Bricket Wood]]
*[[Edmund Beckett, 1st Baron Grimthorpe]] (Lord Grimthorpe) ([[1816]]-[[1905]]), [[lawyer]], amateur [[horologist]], and [[architect]]; best-known locally for rebuilding the west front of [[St Albans Cathedral]] in 1880-1885 at his own expense, but also designed [[Big Ben]]. Lived at Batchwood Hall
*[[Willis Hall]] (b. [[1929]]), playwright and TV script writer, lived in St Albans for many years and was for a while president of [[St Albans City F.C.]]
*[[Stephen Hawking]] (b. [[1942]]), theoretical physicist, educated at [[St Albans School (Hertfordshire)|St Albans School]]
*[[Christopher Herbert]] (b. [[1944]]), 9th Bishop of St Albans [[1995]]-
*[[Jimmy Hill]] (b. [[1928]]), iconic TV presenter and football personality, used to live in St Albans
*[[Ian Holloway]] (b. [[1963]]), [[QPR]] manager, lives in St Albans
*[[Jeffrey John]] (b. [[1953]]), [[Dean (religion)|Dean]] of St Albans [[2004]]-
*[[Christopher Andrew Lewis|Christopher Lewis]] (b. [[1944]]), [[Dean (religion)|Dean]] of St Albans [[1994]]-[[2003]]
*[[Stanley Kubrick]] ([[1928]]-[[1999]]), film [[auteur]], resided in [[Childwickbury Manor]], to the north-west of the town, from [[1978]] until his death
*[[Stephen Lander]] (b. [[1947]]), former head of MI5 has lived in St Albans for many years
*[[Philip Madoc]] (b. [[1934]]), actor, lives locally and is patron of two local organisations, The Abbey Theatre and St Albans Movie Makers
*[[John Mandeville]] (14th century), compiler of a singular book of supposed travels, allegedly born in St Albans
*[[John Motson]] (b. [[1945]]), football commentator, lived in St Albans (now lives in [[Harpenden]])
*[[Mike Newell (director)|Mike Newell]] (b. [[1942]]), film director (incl. ''[[Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (movie)|Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire]]''), used to live in St Albans and attended [[St Albans School (Hertfordshire)|St Albans School]]
*[[Matthew Paris]] (c.[[1200]]-[[1259]]), [[Benedictine]] monk, [[chronicler]] of the history of [[St Albans Abbey]]
*Rupert Parkes (b. [[1972]]) a.k.a. [[Photek]], record producer and dj, was born in St Albans
*[[Allan Prior]] (b. [[1924]]), TV script writer, co-creator of [[Z Cars]] and writer of ''The Charmer'' and father of [[Maddy Prior]] (b. [[1947]]), lives in St Albans (and Maddy grew up here)
*[[Tim Rice]] (b. [[1944]]), lyricist, attended [[St Albans School (Hertfordshire)|St Albans School]]
*[[Jim Rodford]] (b. [[1941]]), musician, member of [[Argent (band)|Argent]] and [[The Kinks]] and cousin of [[Rod Argent]]
*[[Robert Runcie]] ([[1921]]-[[2000]]), [[Bishop]] of St Albans [[1970]]-[[1980]], later [[Archbishop of Canterbury]] [[1980]]-[[1991]]
*[[Samuel Ryder]] ([[1858]]-[[1936]]), seed merchant, founder of the [[Ryder Cup]]
*[[George Gilbert Scott]] ([[1811]]-[[1878]]), Gothic Revival architect, restored [[St Albans Abbey]] [[1856]]-[[1877]]
*[[John Sessions]] (b. [[1953]]), actor and comedian, attended St Albans Boys' Grammar School (now Verulam School) and is a patron of St Albans Arts, along with [[Maddy Prior]]
*[[Jonathan Stroud]] (b. [[1967]]), author of the bestselling [[Bartimaeus Trilogy]], lives in St Albans
*[[Cuthbert Thicknesse]] ([[1887]]-[[1971]]), 4th [[Dean (religion)|Dean]] of [[St Albans Cathedral]] [[1936]]-[[1955]], objected to the use of [[nuclear weapons]] in August [[1945]] by refusing to let the cathedral's bells be rung on [[VJ Day]]
*[[Richard of Wallingford]] ([[1292]]-[[1336]]), Abbot of [[St Albans Abbey]], [[mathematician]], [[horologist]] and [[astronomer]]
*[[Charles Williams]] ([[1886]]-[[1945]]), writer and publisher, lived in St Albans [[1894]]-[[1917]] and attended [[St Albans School (Hertfordshire)|St Albans School]]


==See also==
==See also==
<!---♦♦♦ Please keep the list in alphabetical order ♦♦♦--->
*[[St Albans (UK Parliament constituency)]]
* [[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 (17th century)]]
* [[Verulam House, St Albans]]
* [[Verulamium Museum]]


==External links==
==References==
{{Reflist}}


==External links==
* [http://www.hertsad.co.uk/ Herts Advertiser newspaper]
{{Commons category|St Albans}}
* [http://www.stalbansobserver.co.uk/ St Albans Observer newspaper]
{{wikivoyage|St Albans}}
* [http://arglist.com/photos/ Photos of St Albans]
{{NSRW Poster|St. Albans}}
* [http://www.stalbanscathedral.org.uk/ The Cathedral & Abbey Church of St Alban]
* {{OpenDomesday|TL1407|st-albans|St Albans}}
* [http://www.stalbans.gov.uk/ St Albans council website]
* [http://www.stalbansmuseums.org.uk/ St Albans Museums]
* [http://www.stalbansmuseums.org.uk/ St Albans Museums]
* {{Cite Collier's|short=x|wstitle=Alban's, St.}}
* [http://www.houlston.freeserve.co.uk/mental-health-mind-st-albans.htm Mind in St Albans]


{{Hertfordshire}}
[[Category:St Albans|St Albans]]
{{Civil parishes of Hertfordshire}}
[[Category:Cities in England|St Albans]]


{{Authority control}}
[[de:St Albans]]
[[eo:St Albans]]
[[no:St. Albans]]
[[pl:Saint Albans]]
[[pt:St Albans]]
[[ru:Сент-Элбанс]]
[[sv:St Albans]]


[[tr:St Albans]]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Saint Albans}}
[[Category:St Albans| ]]
[[Category:Towns in Hertfordshire]]
[[Category:Unparished areas in Hertfordshire]]
[[Category:Former civil parishes in Hertfordshire]]
[[Category:City of St Albans]]
[[Category:Cities in the East of England]]

Latest revision as of 17:13, 23 December 2024

For other places with the same name, see St Albans (disambiguation).
See also: St Albans City and District

St Albans
Cathedral city
From the top, View over the Marketplace, The Town Hall,

The Clock Tower,

St Albans Cathedral
Coat of Arms
St Albans is located in Hertfordshire
St Albans
St Albans
Location within Hertfordshire
Area6.99 sq mi (18.1 km2)
Population82,146 
• Density11,752/sq mi (4,537/km2)
OS grid referenceTL148073
• London19 mi (31 km) SSE
District
Shire county
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townST. ALBANS
Postcode districtAL1-AL4
Dialling code01727
PoliceHertfordshire
FireHertfordshire
AmbulanceEast of England
UK Parliament
List of places
UK
England
Hertfordshire
51°45′18″N 0°20′10″W / 51.755°N 0.336°W / 51.755; -0.336

St Albans (/sənt ˈɔːlbənz/) is a cathedral city in Hertfordshire,[1] England, east of Hemel Hempstead and west of Hatfield, 20 miles (32 km) north-west of London, 8 miles (13 km) south-west of Welwyn Garden City and 11 miles (18 km) south-east of Luton. St Albans was the first major town on the old Roman road of Watling Street for travellers heading north and became the city of Verulamium. It is within the London commuter belt and the Greater London Built-up Area.

Name

[edit]

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

[edit]
Main article: History of St Albans

Iron Age

[edit]

There was an Iron Age settlement known as[3] Verlamion, or Verlamio, near the site of the present city, the centre of Tasciovanus' power and a major centre of the Catuvellauni from about 20 BC until shortly after the Roman invasion of AD 43.[4] The name "Verlamion" is Celtic, meaning "settlement over or by the marsh".[3] The town was on Prae Hill, 2 km (1.2 mi) to the west of modern St Albans, now covered by the village of St Michael's, Verulamium Park and the Gorhambury Estate.[3] Although excavations done in 1996 produced finds which include silver coins from the Roman Republic era dating from 90/80 BC. There was evidence of trade with the republic and that a settlement already existed on the site 50 years before Julius Caesar attempted to invade Britain. However, it is believed that the tribal capital was moved to the site by Tasciovanus (around 25 to 5 BC). Cunobelinus may have constructed Beech Bottom Dyke, a defensive earthwork near the settlement whose significance is uncertain.

Roman

[edit]
Remains of Roman wall

The Roman city of Verulamium, the second-largest town in Roman Britain after Londinium, developed from the Iron Age settlement[3] and was granted the rank of municipium around AD 50, meaning that its citizens had what were known as "Latin Rights", a lesser citizenship status than a colonia possessed. It grew to a significant town, and as such received the attentions of Boudica of the Iceni in 61, when Verulamium was sacked and burnt on her orders.[5] Excavations preceding the museum's new entrance done in 1996–97 within the centre of the Roman town gave archaeologists the chance to date a black ash layer to 60–65 AD, thus confirming the Roman written record. It grew steadily; by the early 3rd century, it covered an area of about 125 acres (51 ha), behind a deep ditch and wall. Verulamium contained a forum, basilica and a theatre, much of which were damaged during two fires, one in 155 and the other in around 250. These were repaired and continued in use in the 4th century. The theatre was disused by the end of the 4th century. One of the few extant Roman inscriptions in Britain is found on the remnants of the forum (see Verulamium Forum inscription). The town was rebuilt in stone rather than timber at least twice over the next 150 years. Roman occupation ended between 400 and 450 AD.

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 city walls, a hypocaust – still in situ under a mosaic floor, and the theatre, which is on land belonging to the Earl of Verulam, as well as items in the museum. Further remains beneath nearby agricultural land have only had a few exploratory trenches, which have never been fully excavated and were seriously threatened by deep ploughing, which ceased in 2005 after compensation was agreed. Test trenches in 2003 confirmed that serious damage had occurred to buildings on the northern side of Old Watling Street by deep ploughing. Permission needs to be granted to enable the full extent of the damage to the western half of Verulamium to be investigated.

Anglo-Saxon

[edit]

After the Roman withdrawal the town became the centre of the territory or regio of the Anglo-Saxon Waeclingas tribe.[11]

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

[edit]
St Albans High Street in 1807, showing the shutter telegraph on top of the city's Clock Tower

The medieval town grew on the hill to the east of Wæclingacaester where the Benedictine Abbey of St Albans was founded by Ulsinus in 793.[14] There is some evidence that the original site was higher up the hill than the present building, which was begun in 1077. St Albans Abbey was the principal medieval abbey in England. The scribe Matthew Vickers lived there and the first draft of Magna Carta was drawn up there.[citation needed] It became a parish church after the dissolution of the Benedictine abbey in 1539 and was made a cathedral in 1877.

St Albans School was founded in AD 948. Matthew Paris was educated there and it is the only school in the English-speaking world to have educated a Pope (Adrian IV). Now a public school it has, since 1871, occupied a site to the west of the Abbey and includes the 14th-century Abbey Gateway. One of its buildings was a hat factory, a link with the city's industrial past.

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 street market on Wednesdays and Saturdays, founded by Abbot Ulsinus, still flourishes.[14] In 1553, Henry's son Edward VI sold the right to hold the market to a group of local merchants and landowners via letters patent which also incorporated St Albans as a borough.[18] The old market hall, which dated from around 1596, was replaced by the Corn Exchange in 1857.[19]

Modern

[edit]
Tudor buildings on George Street

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 Victoria issued the second royal charter, which granted city status to the borough and Cathedral status to the former Abbey Church. The new diocese was established in the same year, in the main from parts of the large Diocese of Rochester.

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

[edit]

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

[edit]
St Albans
Ancient borough (1553–1835)
Municipal borough (1836–1974)
History
 • Created12 May 1553 (Ancient borough)
1 January 1836 (Municipal borough)
 • Abolished31 March 1974
 • Succeeded bySt Albans City and District
 • HQSt Albans
Contained within
 • County CouncilHertfordshire

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 ancient parish of St Albans (also known as the Abbey parish) and parts of the parishes of St Michael and St Peter.[23] The borough was reformed by the Municipal Corporations Act 1835 to become a municipal borough, and the boundary was adjusted to additionally include part of the parish of St Stephen. On 28 August 1877 the borough gained city status, following the elevation of St Albans Abbey to become a cathedral.[24] The boundary was also adjusted in 1877 to include part of the parish of Sandridge.

The Local Government Act 1894 divided parishes that were partly within municipal boroughs. The parts of St Michael, St Peter and Sandridge within the borough became the new parishes of St Michael Urban, St Peter Urban and Sandridge Urban. The part of St Stephen within the borough was absorbed by the parish of St Albans. The parishes that were formed outside the borough, that is St Michael Rural, St Peter Rural, Sandridge Rural and the reduced St Stephen, became part of St Albans Rural District on 28 December 1894.

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 county review order gaining more of St Michael Rural (890 acres), St Peter Rural (436 acres) and St Stephen (712 acres).[26] The population of the borough was 44,098 in 1951 and 50,293 in 1961.[27]

Present

[edit]
St Albans viewed from the Clock Tower: French Row (to the left), Market Place (to the right), St Peter's Street and the tower of St Peter's Church (centre)
Main article: City and District of St Albans

The borough was abolished on 1 April 1974 and St Albans became part of the new, larger St Albans City and District. City status was transferred to the entire district by letters patent dated 9 July 1974.[28] Local government services are now provided by Hertfordshire County Council (strategic services) and St Albans City and District Council. Eight local parish councils (limited local services) cover the parts of St Albans City and District that were previously in St Albans Rural District and Harpenden Urban District, but the area that was St Albans Borough prior to 1974 is an unparished area. Within this area, (the Ashley, Batchwood, Clarence, Cunningham, Marshalswick South, St Peters, Sopwell and Verulam wards) a City Neighbourhood Committee of the district council was set up in June 2013 with comparable responsibilities to parish councils for small parks, playgrounds, open spaces, war memorials, allotments and public conveniences.[29][30] The City and District Council built a new civic centre in 1989 adjoining the 1960s City Hall complex, which became known instead as the Alban Arena.

Parliamentary representation

[edit]
Main article: St Albans (UK Parliament constituency)

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

[edit]

Climate

[edit]

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 / 51.80671; -0.36017 (Met Office Rothamsted); 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) 		40.2
(104.4) 		35.6
(96.1) 		31.0
(87.8) 		26.8
(80.2) 		17.3
(63.1) 		15.3
(59.5) 		40.2
(104.4)
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

[edit]

Nearby towns and villages

[edit]

Transport

[edit]

Road

[edit]

St Albans is north-east of the intersection between the M1 and M25 motorways. On the M1, its northern, central and southern junctions are 9, 7 and 6, respectively; 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;
  • The A5183 which runs north-west towards M1 junction 9 and Dunstable and south towards Edgware in north London; it forms the detrunked section of the London-Holyhead A5 road.

Railway

[edit]

Two railway stations serve the city:

Buses

[edit]

St Albans is well served by local buses, with frequent services to local villages and major towns including Watford, Harpenden and Luton. Routes are operated predominantly run by Arriva Herts & Essex, Uno, Red Eagle and Sullivan Buses.[35] Buses in Hertfordshire are run under the Intalink Partnership [1]

Culture and media

[edit]
St Michael's Church

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 Odyssey Cinema (formerly the Odeon) on London Road is an independent, arthouse cinema that was restored and re-opened in 2014. Originally opened in 1931, it stands on the site of the Alpha Picture House, Hertfordshire's first cinema, which was opened in 1908 by film-making pioneer Arthur Melbourne-Cooper.[50][51]

The Maltings Shopping Centre in St Albans

The Watercress nature reserve is by the River Ver and is run by the Watercress Wildlife Association.[52]

St Albans Town Hall

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 BBC Three Counties Radio on 92.1 FM, Heart Hertfordshire on 96.6 FM and Mix 92.6 on 92.6FM, a community radio station.

Local newspaper in the town is the St Albans Observer.

Filming location

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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. In 2018, a Gucci advert featuring Harry Styles was filmed at a Fish and Chips shop in Fleetville, St Albans. 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

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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

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Cricket pavilion at Clarence Park

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

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The local football team is St Albans City FC: its stadium is on the edge of Clarence Park and the team won promotion from the Conference South League in 2005–06. It played in the Nationwide Conference Division of the Football Conference for the 2006–07 season, but finished at the bottom of the table and was relegated.[59]

Gymnastics

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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

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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

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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

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Old Albanian RFC is a rugby union club that plays at the Old Albanian sports complex. They play in National League 1 the third tier of the English rugby union system. Saracens A team and OA Saints Women's Rugby team also play here. This complex hosts the offices of the Premiership Rugby club Saracens (and have recently moved their home ground to Barnet). St Albans RFC play at Boggymead Spring in Smallford. Verulamians RFC (formerly Old Verulamians) play at Cotlandswick in London Colney.

Skateboarding

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St Albans is home to one of the country's oldest indoor skateparks,[38][62] the Pioneer Skatepark in Heathlands Drive, next to the former fire station. Its ramps are available to all skateboarders and inliners. A new outside mini ramp was built in March 2005. A second outdoor mini ramp was opened at Easter 2009.

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St Albans is additionally home to a community of traceurs from around Hertfordshire.[63]

St Albans was once home to the then most prestigious steeplechase in England. The Great St Albans chase attracted the best horses and riders from across Britain and Ireland in the 1830s and was held in such high esteem that when it clashed with the 1837 Grand National the top horses and riders chose to bypass Aintree. Without warning the race was discontinued in 1839 and was quickly forgotten.

St Albans was once home to Samuel Ryder, the founder of the Ryder Cup. He ran a very successful packet seeds business in the 1890s which at one time he ran from a packing warehouse on Holywell Hill (became Café Rouge until closure in 2023). His interest in golf and sponsorship led to his donation of the now famous Ryder Cup. He is buried in Hatfield Road Cemetery, where in July 2012 the Olympic Torch Relay passed by to honour him.

Education

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The Abbey Gateway, now part of St Albans School

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

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St Albans is twinned with:

Notable people

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Main article: List of people from St Albans

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "St Albans" . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 23 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 1012.
  2. ^ "Medieval St. Albans". Retrieved 3 November 2013.
  3. ^ a b c d Rosalind Niblett, Roman Hertfordshire, Wimborne: Dovecote Press, 1995
  4. ^ John Wacher, 1976, The Towns of Roman Britain, p. 202, both for Tasciovanus and the Catuvellauni.
  5. ^ "BBC – History – Boudicca".
  6. ^ Garcia, Michael (January 2010). "Saint Alban and the Cult of Saints in Late Antique Britain". academia.edu. Retrieved 19 November 2014.
  7. ^ Constantius of Lyon; Trans. Vermaat, Robert. "The text of the Vita sancti Germani". vortigernstudies.org.uk. Retrieved 19 November 2014.
  8. ^ Martin Biddle, "Alban and the Anglo-Saxon Church", in Robert Runcie (ed), Cathedral and City: St Albans Ancient and Modern, Martyn Associates, 1977
  9. ^ ""Story of St Alban", Cathedral and Abbey Church of St Alban". 8 April 2019.
  10. ^ 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.
  11. ^ Williamson, Tom (2000). The Origins of Hertfordshire. Manchester: Manchester University Press. p. 64. ISBN 071904491X. Retrieved 13 September 2014.
  12. ^ "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.
  13. ^ Loyn, Anglo-Saxon England and the Norman Conquest, 2nd ed. 1991:11.
  14. ^ a b St Albans Millenary Pageant Souvenir Programme, n.p, 1948
  15. ^ Kitton, F.G. (1899–1900). "The Old Inns of St Albans". Transactions of the St Albans & Hertfordshire Architectural & Archaeological Society: 260.
  16. ^ "Clock Tower". St Albans Museums. Retrieved 21 December 2019.
  17. ^ History of Verulam and St. Alban's S. G. Shaw, 1815 pages 64–66. Accessed April 2011
  18. ^ Freeman, Mark (2008). St Albans: a history. Lancaster: Carnegie Publishing. p. 137. ISBN 978-1-85936-190-0.
  19. ^ Bard, Robert (2016). St Albans History Tour. Amberley Publishing. ISBN 978-1445657622.
  20. ^ Asa Briggs, "The Victorian City", in ‘'Cathedral & City: St Albans Ancient and Modern'’, ed. Robert Runcie, Martyn Associates, 1977
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  22. ^ Page, William (1908). A History of the County of Hertford, Volume 2. London: Victoria County History. pp. 477–483. Retrieved 30 January 2022.
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  24. ^ "Whitehall, September 11, 1877". The London Gazette (24502): 5185. 11 September 1877. Retrieved 30 January 2022.
  25. ^ "St Albans Museum and Gallery". John McAslan and Partners. 10 July 2018. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
  26. ^ "St Albans AP/CP through time | Census tables with data for the Parish-level Unit". Visionofbritain.org.uk.
  27. ^ "St Albans AP/CP through time | Population Statistics | Total Population". Visionofbritain.org.uk.
  28. ^ "No. 46352". The London Gazette. 24 September 1974. p. 7920.
  29. ^ "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.
  30. ^ "St Albans City & District Council – Proposed City Neighbourhoods Committee under scrutiny". Stalbans.gov.uk. 1 March 2013.
  31. ^ "Rothamsted 1991–2020 averages". Met Office. Retrieved 21 February 2022.
  32. ^ "Indices Data - Rothamsted Station 1844". KNMI. Retrieved 7 March 2019.
  33. ^ "Timetables". Thameslink. 10 December 2023. Retrieved 27 May 2024.
  34. ^ "Train timetables and schedules". London Northwestern Railway. 10 December 2023. Retrieved 27 May 2024.
  35. ^ "St Albans Bus Services". Bustimes.org. 2024. Retrieved 27 May 2024.
  36. ^ "Trestle Theatre Company, St Albans". trestle.org.uk. Retrieved 17 July 2010.
  37. ^ "History".
  38. ^ a b "History".
  39. ^ "The Maltings Arts Theatre, St Albans". Stalbans.gov.uk. Retrieved 17 July 2010.
  40. ^ "Abbey Theatre, Trestle Arts Base, St Albans". Abbeytheatre.org.uk. Retrieved 17 July 2010.
  41. ^ "St Albans Bach Choir". St Albans Bach Choir. 10 July 2010. Retrieved 17 July 2010.
  42. ^ "St Albans Symphony Orchestra". Saso.org.uk. 11 July 2010. Retrieved 17 July 2010.
  43. ^ "St Albans Chamber Choir". St Albans Chamber Choir. 25 April 2010. Retrieved 17 July 2010.
  44. ^ "St Albans Chamber Opera". Hertsdirect.org. Retrieved 17 July 2010.
  45. ^ "The Company of Ten, St Albans". Hertsdirect.org. Retrieved 17 July 2010.
  46. ^ "St Albans Choral Society". Choralsociety.com. Retrieved 17 July 2010.
  47. ^ "St Albans Organ Theatre". St Albans Organ Theatre. Retrieved 17 July 2010.
  48. ^ "Trestle Theatre Company History". trestle.org.uk. Archived from the original on 13 January 2010. Retrieved 17 July 2010.
  49. ^ "Best Theatre Arts". Best Theatre Arts. Retrieved 17 July 2010.
  50. ^ "The Odyssey History". Odyssey Cinema St Albans. Archived from the original on 23 March 2018. Retrieved 23 March 2018.
  51. ^ "Restored art-deco cinema reopens". BBC News. 13 December 2014. Archived from the original on 23 March 2018. Retrieved 23 March 2018.
  52. ^ "Watercress Wildlife Association, St Albans". Watercress Wildlife Association. Retrieved 23 May 2013.
  53. ^ "St Albans Museums". St Albans Museums. Archived from the original on 17 August 2011. Retrieved 11 August 2011.
  54. ^ "Crystal Palace (Greater London, England) Full Freeview transmitter". May 2004.
  55. ^ "St Albans (Hertfordshire, England) Freeview Light transmitter". May 2004.
  56. ^ "Parts of Verulamium Park in St Albans due to close 'for Wonka filming'". BBC News. 2 March 2022. Retrieved 15 January 2023.
  57. ^ "Sport England—Active People Survey". Sportengland.org. Archived from the original on 25 February 2010. Retrieved 17 July 2010.
  58. ^ "St Albans Cricket Club". Stalbanscc.com. Retrieved 17 July 2010.
  59. ^ "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)
  60. ^ "St Albans Gymnastics Club". stalbansgymclub.com. Retrieved 2 September 2010.
  61. ^ "St Albans Hockey Club". Stalbanshc.co.uk. 17 April 2010. Retrieved 17 July 2010.
  62. ^ "Area Guide: The popular Bernards Heath area of St Albans". 14 January 2022.
  63. ^ "Hertfordshire Parkour". Hertsparkour.co.uk. Retrieved 17 July 2010.
[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to St Albans.
Wikivoyage has a travel guide for St Albans.
Wikisource has the text of The New Student's Reference Work article "St. Albans".
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