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 [...]
Archive for the 'St Albans 2024' Category
Filed under Faith Foundations, Holidays, St Albans 2024
The Vintry Garden, St Albans
2 Comments CherryPie on Jan 20th 2025
Filed under Heritage, Holidays, St Albans 2024
The Verdun Tree, St Albans
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 [...]
11 Comments CherryPie on Dec 16th 2024
Filed under Heritage, Holidays, St Albans 2024
The Clock Tower – St Albans
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 [...]
11 Comments CherryPie on Dec 10th 2024
This 2009 interpretation of The Last Supper is by contemporary artist Lorna May Wadsworth. Featuring the Jamacan-born model Tafari Hinds as Christ.
It hit the headlines in the summer of 2020 when the artist heard it had been shot while in situ behind the altar of a church in Gloucestershire. The damage occurred on Christ’s right [...]
5 Comments CherryPie on Nov 28th 2024
Filed under Anecdotes, Art, St Albans 2024
Votes For Sale!
In 1851 St Albans achieved notoriety when its electorate of 500 men, were found guilty of selling their votes.
4 Comments CherryPie on Nov 27th 2024
Filed under Books, Holidays, St Albans 2024
Halloween Changes Into Christmas
10 Comments CherryPie on Nov 26th 2024
