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Some pix of my visit today to St. Albans Cathedral.
I hope you like them and feel free to comment if you wish.
The Norman part of the building, including the tower, was started in 1077 and was constructed using flint and Roman bricks. This was originally an abbey church and was designated a cathedral in 1877. It has now been in use for over 900 years although this has been a site of continuous Christian worship for seventeen and a half centuries.
Looking at the West End.
The East End incorporating the Lady Chapel - a 14th Century extension. This part was used as a school for 300 years and was restored for worship just over 100 years ago.
The High Altar.
Shrine of St. Alban.
Alban was thought to have been martyred under the persecution of Septimius Severus and, if other places are anything to go by, he would've had a burial which became a martyrium - a little chapel with his body in it.
It is said that Alban went up a hill to his execution, and the Abbey marks the spot of his execution, but his shrine in the Abbey doesn't lie on top of his burial.
The original shrine hasn't been found yet, although it's thought that it might be in the St Michaels area as there's evidence of the Romans there too, not just re-used bricks but late Roman burials. Presumably one of these could have been the shrine of Alban. Wherever he was originally buried, he could have been moved.
Regards. Barr1e
I hope you like them and feel free to comment if you wish.
The Norman part of the building, including the tower, was started in 1077 and was constructed using flint and Roman bricks. This was originally an abbey church and was designated a cathedral in 1877. It has now been in use for over 900 years although this has been a site of continuous Christian worship for seventeen and a half centuries.
Looking at the West End.
The East End incorporating the Lady Chapel - a 14th Century extension. This part was used as a school for 300 years and was restored for worship just over 100 years ago.
The High Altar.
Shrine of St. Alban.
Alban was thought to have been martyred under the persecution of Septimius Severus and, if other places are anything to go by, he would've had a burial which became a martyrium - a little chapel with his body in it.
It is said that Alban went up a hill to his execution, and the Abbey marks the spot of his execution, but his shrine in the Abbey doesn't lie on top of his burial.
The original shrine hasn't been found yet, although it's thought that it might be in the St Michaels area as there's evidence of the Romans there too, not just re-used bricks but late Roman burials. Presumably one of these could have been the shrine of Alban. Wherever he was originally buried, he could have been moved.
Regards. Barr1e
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