Luke 11:9

Pericles

Elisabeth Kübler-Ross

This font holds water for baptisms. Baptism marks the start of the Christian life, when someone becomes a follower of Jesus Christ. A prist blesses the water and pours it over the person’s head as a symbol of this new faith.

The font was made in 1934 and its huge cover shows the four gospel writers who tell the story of Jesus in the Bible. the large Paschal (Easter) Candle often stands nearby – a new one is lit every Easter Eve. This was the traditional time for baptisms but now adults and children are baptised throughout the year.*

*From an information board next to the font.

This enormous pair of doors once stood at the main entrance to the church at the far west end of the Nave. They date from the 1400s when the church was at the centre of England’s leading abbey.

The doors were opened wide for religious processions. For everyday use, monks and visiting pilgrims used the small door-within-a-door. Huge iron nails in a pattern hold together the layers of oak panelling. Wood was skilfully carved on the outer surface to creat elegant decoration.*

*from a signboard next to the doors

In 1989 Laporte industries of Luton celebrated their centenary by funding its reglazing. The designer, Alan Younger, interpreted the concentric circles of the universe, with the earth in the centre and triangular areas of colour used to suggest the infusion of spirit into matter. The window was unveiled by Diana, Princess of Wales.

St Albans Cathedral is the oldest site of continuous Christian worship in Britain. It stands over the place where Alban, the first British martyr, was buried after giving his life for his faith over 1,700 years ago.

The building’s amazing mixture of architectural styles bears witness to the many centuries of its life, first as a monastic Abbey and now as a Cathedral. Down all those centuries countless pilgrims have come to honour Saint Alban and offer prayers at his shrine – and they continue to do so today.

The present Cathedral was begun in 1077, using Roman bricks from the ruined city of Verulamium. The massive 11th century bell tower is the only remaining example of its type. The Cathedral has the longest nave in England where you can also see outstanding medieval wall paintings.

Since the 14th century the area south of High Street between Waxhouse Gate and Holywell Hill has been called Vintry. The name is said to derive from the Abbey vineyards which may have lain in the northeast corner of the Abbey precinct. Vines were certainly cultivated in St. Albans district in the Middle Ages, as a 13th century vineyard is recorded close to the modern swimming pool at Westminster Lodge. Today, vines on the north wall of the garden are a vivid reminder of Medieval times, although the Medieval Vineyard probably only occupied what today is the grassy area behind you. For most of the Middle Ages the Bintry Garden itself was used for the monks’ graveyard, only the Abbots were buried in the Abbey itself.*

*from an information board next to the garden entrance

This tree has grown from a conker which itself came from one of the last trees left standing after the Battle of Verdun during the First World War.

On 21st February 1916, the Germans attacked the mighty fortress of Verdun in eastern France in an attempt to destroy the French Army. The ensuing battle lasted for 303 days. For the French, there was only one access route – a narrow road that became know as “la Voie Scree (the Sacred Way) along which all their supplies and reinforcements had to pass.

In July of that year, the British launched the Battle of the Somme. One objective of this offensive was to relieve pressure on the French by forcing Germany to remove troops from Verdun. Finally on 19th December, perhaps the greatest and longest battle in world history ended, with the Germans having been pushed back to their original positions. Some 300,000 had been killed and a further 400.000 wounded.

For France, Verdun is remembered much as the Somme is by the British, symbolising the horrors of war. In November 1920, to bring the Unknown Warrior back from France, the British government could think of no more appropriate ship than HMS Verdun.

The Verdun Tree was planted here in St Albans in 1976 to mark the 60th anniversary of the battle. A horse chestnut is in fact in many ways appropriate to mark a battle, as the starch from its conkers is an essential component of cordite – unlike gunpowder, an almost smokeless explosive.*

*information from a signboard next to the Verdun Tree

St. Albans Clocktower of Clock House was built between 1403 abd 1412 to the design of Thomas Wolvey, one time royal mason, as a symbol of the townspeople’s desire for independence from the Abbot’s rule. It is 23.5m (77ft) high and built of flint and originally clunch (a local form of hard chalk). The original large bell within the tower (which wighs a ton and sounds a natural F note) was cast at Aldgate, London, by William and Robert Burford between 1371 and 1418. It is inscribe (in Latin) “My name is Gabriel sent from Heaven”.

Timepieces were rare when the tower was built and a clock was useful in regulating the life of the town. the bell also ran the curfew at 4 am and between 8 and 9 pm and was used to sound the alarm during any fire or incident within the town In 1700 the corporation resolved to pull down the Clocktower (which fortunately never happened) and build a new market house.*

*from a signboard next to the Clocktower