A day without public transportation. Hurray! A break from hiking boots was nice, too.
I chose St Albans (named for Britain's first Christian martyr) as a destination for several reasons. We needed to be close to London without staying in London proper during Olympic madness. It is also home to
St Albans Cathedral and the Virulamium Museum, where I had booked my second visit with a museum educator. The bonus was that it is not far from the Village of Radlett, the home of some dear family friends!
We began our exploration of St Albans with a guided tour of the Cathedral, the oldest site of continuous Christian worship in Britain. A lovely older parishioner guided us around the bustling church -- services were taking place, the organist was rehearsing, flowers were being arranged, and art projects were being tended to.
Our tour guide whisked us into the Lady Chapel, out of the tour's usual sequence, before a noontime Catholic Mass was to be celebrated there. Hard to believe it was used as a school for 300 years.
The Cathedral, dating to the 11th century, is part of the Church of England (Anglican), but is quite ecumenical and hosts a variety of other services from time to time. The visiting Catholic priest found a quiet corner in one of several side chapels to put on his vestments.
Needlepoint, created by the nimble fingers of parishioners, covers the chapel's kneelers.
The High Altar and screen. As we stood admiring it, the carillon began to play "Chariots of Fire," in honor of it being the opening day of the Olympics. The tour guide rushed us into the tower area, so we could here it better. Here is the YouTube link to a recording of it made that morning.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3GMpJ33o5Y&feature=youtube_gdata_player
For over 1700 years, pilgrims have visited the shrine of St Alban.
Monks would hide in the Watching Loft and monitor the comings and goings of the pilgrims. They wanted to make sure that offerings came in and didn't go out. Apparently this was an issue.
The Nave Altar
The Rose Window, incorporated into the building in the Victorian era. It didn't actually have stained glass in it until 1989, when it was dedicated by the late Diana, Princess of Wales.
The ceiling of the Crossing Tower.
The architecture is part Saxon, part Norman,...
... and even Victorian.
Materials from the original Roman town, Virulamium, we're used, too. Nothing gets wasted.
The choir, which we would return to at the end of the day for choral evensong.
This angle of the Cathedral showcases the many architectural periods perfectly. The tower on the right is made almost entirely of Roman materials.
Off to my appointment at The Virulamium Museum and to explore the Roman ruins.
Stay tuned!
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