St Alban's Abbey

Cathedral and Abbey Church of St Alban
St Albans Abbey viewed from the south west
Cathedral and Abbey Church of St Alban Shown within Hertfordshire
Coordinates: 51°45′02″N 0°20′32″W / 51.750556°N 0.342222°W / 51.750556; -0.342222
Location	St Albans, Hertfordshire
Country	England
Denomination	Church of England
Website	stalbanscathedral.org.uk
Architecture
Style	Norman/Romanesque/Gothic
Years built	1077–1893
Specifications
Length	167.8 metres (551 ft)
Nave length	84 metres (276 ft)
Nave width	23 metres (75 ft)
Width across transepts	58.5 metres (192 ft)
Height	43.9 metres (144 ft)
Nave height	20.2 metres (66 ft)
Number of towers	1
Tower height	43.9 metres (144 ft)
Administration
Diocese	St Albans (since 1877)
Province	Canterbury
Clergy
Bishop(s)	Alan Smith
Dean	Jeffrey John
Subdean	Richard Watson
Precentor	Berkeley Zych, Minor Canon
Canon Chancellor	Kevin Walton
Canon(s)	Sally Jones, Minor Canon Chaplain
Laity
Director of music	Andrew Lucas
Organist(s)	Tom Winpenny

St Albans Cathedral, formally the Cathedral and Abbey Church of St Alban, and referred to locally as "the Abbey", is a Church of England cathedral in St Albans, England. Much of its architecture dates from Norman times. It ceased to be an abbey in the 16th century and became a cathedral in 1877. Although legally a cathedral church, it differs in certain particulars from most other cathedrals in England: it is also used as a parish church, of which the dean is rector with the same powers, responsibilities and duties as that of any other parish.

Probably founded in the 8th century, the present building is Norman or Romanesque architecture of the 11th century, with Gothic and 19th-century additions.

According to Bede, whose account of the saint’s life is the most elaborate, Alban lived in Verulamium, sometime during the 3rd or 4th century. At that time Christians began to suffer "cruel persecution." Alban met a Christian priest (known as Amphibalus) fleeing from "persecutors," and sheltered him in his house for a number of days. Alban was so impressed with the priest's faith and piety that he soon converted to Christianity. Eventually Roman soldiers came to seize the priest, but Alban put on his cloak and presented himself to the soldiers in place of his guest. Alban was brought before a judge and was sentenced to beheading. As he was led to execution, he came to a fast flowing river (believed to be the River Ver), crossed it and went about 500 paces to a gently sloping hill overlooking a beautiful plain When he reached the summit he began to thirst and prayed that God would give him drink, whereupon water sprang up at his feet. It was at this place that his head was struck off. Immediately one of the executioners delivered the fatal stroke, his eyes fell out and dropped to the ground alongside Alban's head. In later legends, it is said that Alban's head rolled downhill and that a well gushed up where it stopped. St Albans Cathedral stands near the supposed site of Alban's martyrdom and a well does exist at the bottom of the hill, Holywell Hill. However, the well dates from the 19th century and the name of the street may derive from the "Halywell" river and not from the "holy well". The date of Alban's execution is a matter of debate and is generally given as "circa 250" — scholars suggest dates of 209, 254 or 304. The tomb of St Amphibalus is in the Cathedral.