A St. Albans city guide will tell you that it has been welcoming visitors for over 2000 years. Located about 22 miles north of London, St. Albans was the first major town to form on the old Roman road of Watling Street which took travellers north, although in those days it was known as Verulamium.

Its modern day name dates to about 209 AD when a Roman soldier named Alban was beheaded after it was discovered he was giving shelter to a Christian priest. Pilgrims flocked to the burial site of this martyr and St. Albans became a well known pilgrimage spot.

Legend has it that Holywell Hill to the south is the location where the head of the saint rolled after being cut off. The head either fell into a well at the base of the hill or perhaps the well sprung up at the spot where the head came to rest, depending on who is telling the story.

In any event, the St. Albans Cathedral (pictured) is a prominent part of the town, and it is here that you can visit the shrine of St. Alban and marvel at the magnificent murals. Incredibly, the nave murals were discovered during a major restoration in 1862; they had been covered in whitewash for almost 300 years.

The cathedral was built largely using stone and brick reclaimed from the ruins of Verulamium, which seems to be a touch of poetic justice for poor Alban.

The Clock Tower is another treasure of St. Albans. Built between 1403 and 1412, it is one of only two surviving medieval belfries in England. Until 1863 the town used the bell to ring out curfew, which is the time at which the townspeople were to bank their fires for the night.

St. Albans is a very compact city and there are a number of city walking tours you can take that will lead you past a variety of interesting sites.

A St. Albans guide can come in handy when planning your day, you can pick one up at the Town Hall.

Photo courtesy: access.denied

Return from St. Albans City Guide to Day Trips from London

Return from St. Albans City Guide to Best London Attractions