St Albans Cathedral
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What's on here
St Albans Diocesan Inter Faith Week Event 2026 – Sharing Stories of…
Monday, 19:00Free
The Christmas Orchestra - St Albans
28 Nov – 29 Nov19 GBP
Why go
- The 85-metre Nave, the longest in England.
- Medieval wall paintings on the Nave’s pillars, the best-preserved collection in an English cathedral.
- The medieval pedestal shrines of St Alban and St Amphibalus, unique among the country’s cathedrals.
- England’s only surviving 11th-century great crossing tower, and its only cathedral tower built with Roman bricks.
- The Watching Loft, England’s only surviving medieval wooden watching loft.
Don't miss
- Nave wall paintingsDaily guided tours use light projections to show the paintings restored to their former appearance.Nave
- Shrine of St AlbanThe shrine built in 1308 was destroyed in 1539; surviving pieces were used in restorations in 1872 and 1993.
- Shrine of St AmphibalusA masked figure added during restoration commemorates delays caused by the pandemic.
- Crossing towerVisitors can explore the tower on regular guided tours.
- Watching LoftMonastic officials or tenants watched pilgrims visiting the shrine from this wooden structure.
Know before you go
- Enter through the Welcome Centre in Sumpter Yard.
- The West End entrance is closed during visiting hours.
- Amateur photography and video are allowed inside and around the cathedral without a tripod.
- Drones may not fly in or around the cathedral.
- Dogs are welcome in the cathedral and Abbot’s Kitchen café, but must be kept on a lead.
Legends and hidden details
- Tradition says Amphibalus, the priest Alban sheltered, was later martyred at Redbourn.
Services and visiting hours
- Daily
- Services take place in the Quire. Visitors are welcome to attend, pray or spend time in quiet reflection.
- Medieval period
- Monks sang services in the Quire.
- Pilgrimage
- The cathedral remains a place of pilgrimage.
Interesting facts6
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44 metres
The tower is 44 metres tall and weighs about 5,000 tonnes.
Cathédrale Saint-Alban de St Albans - Wikipedia -
The tower’s carillon plays a different tune each day of the week.
St Albans Cathedral - Wikipedia -
1290
The tower houses 23 bells, including a Sanctus bell dating to about 1290 that is still used.
St Albans Cathedral - Wikipedia -
64 lights
The North Transept rose window has 64 lights arranged in five rings.
St Albans Cathedral - Wikipedia -
1154
The abbey rejected the future Adrian IV as a novice; he became the only English pope in 1154.
St Albans Cathedral - Wikipedia -
A plan to demolish the abbey and replace it with a smaller church nearly succeeded in the 1770s.
St Albans Cathedral - Wikipedia
Shorts
History
Medieval pilgrims came to Alban’s shrine seeking healing for body and soul. The abbey’s scriptorium produced the St Albans Psalter around 1130–1145. Matthew Paris was a monk here and worked as a chronicler and artist from 1217 to 1259. After the abbey was dissolved, its former church subsequently became the town’s parish church.
- 793King Offa is said to have founded a Benedictine double monastery to house Alban’s remains.
- 1077Abbot Paul de Caen began rebuilding the Saxon church in Romanesque style, reusing bricks from Verulamium.
- 1089The abbey church was completed.
- 1323Two nave piers collapsed, bringing down much of the roof and damaging five bays.
- 1539The abbey was dissolved on 5 December and its buildings were looted.
Show all
- 1877The former abbey church became a cathedral.
- 1880–1883Edmund Beckett, Lord Grimthorpe, rebuilt the west front.
- 2019–2021The shrine of St Amphibalus was restored.
How to get there
- 20 minTrainSt Albans City station is a 20-minute walk from the cathedral. The train journey from London St Pancras International to St Albans City also takes 20 minutes.
Accessibility
- Lift access A lift provides step-free access to the Alban Room, Offa Room and library.
- Accessible parking Limited accessible parking for Blue Badge holders must be booked in advance.
- Buggy parking Available at the cathedral.
- Baby-changing facilities Available at the cathedral.
Sources: St Albans Cathedral - Wikipedia · St Albans Cathedral · Plan Your Visit to Our Historic Venue · Visitor Highlights | St Albans Cathedral · Abtei von St Albans - Wikipedia · Cathédrale Saint-Alban de St Albans - Wikipedia · checked 7 Oct 2026
- Website
- stalbanscathedral.org/
- Phone
- 01727890210
Questions and answers
Who was Amphibalus?
Tradition identifies him as the priest sheltered by Alban and says he was later martyred at Redbourn.
Who is buried beneath the main shrine chapel at St Albans Cathedral?
Duke Humphrey of Gloucester has a memorial chapel beneath it. He is the cathedral’s only royal burial.
How old is the stained glass at St Albans Cathedral?
It spans 1376–2006 and includes royal references and tributes to First World War fighters.
Are children welcome at St Albans Cathedral?
Children’s activities are available.
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