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Encyclopedia > St Albans

St Albans

St Albans shown within Hertfordshire
Population 64,038 [1]
OS grid reference TL148073
District St Albans
Shire county Hertfordshire
Region East
Constituent country England
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town ST ALBANS
Postcode district AL1, AL2, AL3, AL4
Dialling code 01727
Police Hertfordshire
Fire Hertfordshire
Ambulance East of England
European Parliament East of England
UK Parliament St Albans
List of places: UK • England • Hertfordshire

Coordinates: 51°45′18″N 0°20′10″W / 51.755, -0.336 Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links Red_pog2. ... For the similarly named county in the West Midlands region, see Herefordshire. ... The British national grid reference system is a system of geographic grid references commonly used in Great Britain, different from using latitude or longitude. ... The districts of England are a level of subnational division of England used for the purposes of local government. ... The City and District of St Albans is a local government district, in Hertfordshire, England. ... Metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties are one of the four levels of English administrative division used for the purposes of local government. ... For the similarly named county in the West Midlands region, see Herefordshire. ... The region, also known as Government Office Region, is currently the highest tier of local government subnational entity of England in the United Kingdom. ... The East of England is one of the nine official regions of England. ... // Constituent country is a phrase used, often by official institutions, in contexts in which a historical, currently non-legally officially recognised country makes up a part of a larger entity or grouping. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... This list of sovereign states, alphabetically arranged, gives an overview of states around the world with information on the extent of their sovereignty. ... A post town is a required part of all UK postal addresses. ... UK postal codes are known as postcodes. ... The AL postcode area, also known as the St Albans postcode area[1], is a group of ten postal districts in central Hertfordshire which are subdivisions of five post towns. ... +44 redirects here. ... There are a number of policing agencies in the United Kingdom. ... Hertfordshire Constabulary is the Home Office police force responsible for policing the county of Hertfordshire in England. ... A Fire Appliance belonging to the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service The fire service in the United Kingdom has undergone dramatic changes since the beginning of the 21st century, a process that has been propelled by a devolution of central government powers, new legislation and a change to operational... The (Hertfordshire) fire and rescue service with 29 stations across the county they are : * Baldock and Letchworth Fire Station * Berkhamsted Fire Station * (Bishops Stortford Fire Station) * Borehamwood Fire Station * Buntingford Fire Station * Bushey Fire Station * Cheshunt Fire Station * Garston Fire Station * Harpenden Fire Station * Hatfield Fire Station * Hemel Hempstead Fire... Badge of the East of England Ambulance Service The East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust is the authority responsible for providing NHS ambulance services in Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Luton, Norfolk, Peterborough, Southend-on-Sea, Suffolk and Thurrock, in the East of England region. ... This is a list of Members of the European Parliament for the United Kingdom in the 2004 to 2009 session, ordered by name. ... East of England is a constituency of the European Parliament. ... The United Kingdom House of Commons is made up of Members of Parliament (MPs). ... St Albans is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. ... List of cities in the United Kingdom List of towns in England Lists of places within counties List of places in Bedfordshire List of places in Berkshire List of places in Buckinghamshire List of places in Cambridgeshire List of places in Cheshire List of places in Cleveland List of places... This is a list of settlements in the ceremonial county of Hertfordshire, England. ... Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ...


St Albans is the main urban area of the City and District of St Albans in southern Hertfordshire, England, around 22 miles (35 km) north of central London. It was originally named Verlamion by the Ancient British, Catuvellauni tribe. It was the first major town on the old Roman road of Watling Street for travellers heading north and became the Roman city of Verulamium. After the Roman withdrawal, and prior to becoming known as St Albans, the town was called Verlamchester or Wæclingacaester. The City and District of St Albans is a local government district, in Hertfordshire, England. ... For the similarly named county in the West Midlands region, see Herefordshire. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... The Belgae were a group of nations or tribes living in north-eastern Gaul, on the west bank of the Rhine, in the 1st century BC, and later also attested in Britain. ... The Catuvellaunii (meaning probably good in battle) were one of the Celtic tribes living in the British Isles, before the Roman invasion of Britain. ... Roman Britain refers to those parts of the island of Great Britain controlled by the Roman Empire between 43 and 410. ... The modern Watling Street crossing the Medway at Rochester near the Roman and Celt crossings Watling Street is the name given to an ancient trackway in England and Wales that was first used by the Celts mainly between the modern cities of Canterbury and St Albans. ... Remains of the city walls Verulamium was the third largest city in Roman Britain. ...

Contents

The locality

A map of St Albans from 1944
A map of St Albans from 1944

Apart from its historic core, St Albans is highly suburban in character, with much of its housing stock built in the inter-war years and during post-war expansion. Now entirely surrounded by the Metropolitan Green Belt, it is seeing significant 'infill' development and pressure to relax the Green Belt restrictions. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (2336x2112, 695 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): St Albans ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (2336x2112, 695 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): St Albans ... Illustration of the backyards of a surburban neighbourhood Suburbs are inhabited districts located either on the outer rim of a city or outside the official limits of a city (the term varies from country to country), or the outer elements of a conurbation. ... In city planning, the Green Belt is a concept for controlling metropolitan growth introduced around London, England by minister of housing Duncan Sandys via a Government Circular. ...


St Albans District (which also includes Harpenden) has house prices considerably above the national average. The most recent figures give an average house price of £328,820[2] against a national average of £199,184. St Albans city, according to figures from Nationwide Building Society, is currently considered to be the most expensive place to live in the UK outside Central London.[3][2] This is largely due to fast commuting to London, especially the City, by train. The local road transport network is another factor: St Albans is at the meeting point of the A5183 (the old A5 or Watling Street) and the A1081 (the old A6); the M25 runs east-west just south of the city; and both the M1, only a few miles to the west, and the A1(M), five miles (8 km) to the east, can provide fast connections to London and the north. , Harpenden is a town in the City and District of St Albans of Hertfordshire in the South East of England. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... Motto: Domine dirige nos Latin: Lord, guide us Shown within Greater London Sovereign state Constituent country Region Greater London Status City and Ceremonial County Admin HQ Guildhall Government  - Leadership see text  - Mayor David Lewis  - MP Mark Field  - London Assembly John Biggs Area  - Total 1. ... The A5183 road is the A5 road in disguise. ... The A5 is a major road in the United Kingdom. ... The modern Watling Street crossing the Medway at Rochester near the Roman and Celt crossings Watling Street is the name given to an ancient trackway in England and Wales that was first used by the Celts mainly between the modern cities of Canterbury and St Albans. ... The A1081 road in England broadly follows and replaces the former route of the A6 south of Luton. ... This article is about the A6 road in England. ... The M25 motorway looking south between junctions 14 and 15, near Heathrow Airport. ... The M1 motorway heading south towards junction 37 at Barnsley, South Yorkshire. ... This page is about the A1 road in Great Britain. ...


The council estimates that 20% of the working population travel to London to work, while local business provides 46,000 jobs of which around 46% are filled by inward commuters. The local economy is made up mainly of offices, small enterprises, retailing and tourism-based enterprises, 80% of which employ fewer than 10 staff. In the working population, 33% are employed in professional and managerial occupations. Self-employment in Hertfordshire runs at 15% of the workforce, compared with a UK average of 12%. For the similarly named county in the West Midlands region, see Herefordshire. ...

Arms of St Albans City and District Council
Arms of St Albans City and District Council

There are two railway stations in St Albans. The City Station is about 820 yards (750 m)[4] east of the city centre and is served by the Thameslink railway line, with trains (operated since April 2006 by First Capital Connect) to Bedford, Luton, London Luton Airport, London, Sutton, Wimbledon, London Gatwick Airport, and Brighton. The Abbey Station is about half a mile (1 km)[4] south of the city centre and is served by the "Abbey Flyer", operated by London Midland. A single train runs between St Albans and Watford Junction, starting a new round trip every 45 minutes during most of the day. This line is a historical accident, the result of the Earl of Verulam refusing to sell land to the railway company then driving North from Watford. Until 1964, there was a third station, St Albans (London Road), which served a former branch line to Hatfield. East Midlands Mainline 'intercity' services run through at speed from places such as Leicester, Nottingham, Lincoln, Sheffield and Leeds. They do not stop so connections have to be made at Luton or St Pancras International. Uno buses route S4 and Green Line route 724 are the city's major bus services. Arms of St Albans City and District Council, Herts. ... Arms of St Albans City and District Council, Herts. ... This is the top-level page of WikiProject trains Rail tracks Rail transport refers to the land transport of passengers and goods along railways or railroads. ... St Albans railway station is one of two railway stations in St Albans, Hertfordshire, England. ... Thameslink is a fifty-station line in the British railway system running 225 km (140 miles) north to south across London from Bedford to Brighton through the Snow Hill tunnel. ... For other uses, see Train (disambiguation). ... First Capital Connect is a train operating company in England that began its passenger operations on the National Rail network at 02:00 BST 1 April 2006. ... Bedford is the county town of the English county of Bedfordshire. ... For other uses, see Luton (disambiguation). ... London Luton Airport (IATA: LTN, ICAO: EGGW) (previously called Luton International Airport)[3] is an international airport located on the edge of the town of Luton, Bedfordshire, England approximately north of London. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... , Sutton is the principal town in the London Borough of Sutton. ... , This article is about the district of London. ... Gatwick Airport (IATA: LGW, ICAO: EGKK) is Londons second largest airport and the second busiest airport in the United Kingdom after Heathrow. ... For other places with the same name, see Brighton (disambiguation). ... St Albans Abbey railway station is situated about 1 km south of St Albans town centre. ... The St Albans Abbey Branch Line is a railway line from Watford Junction to St Albans Abbey railway station. ... For the former British Railways region, see London Midland Region (British Railways). ... Watford Junction station is a railway station in Watford, United Kingdom. ... The Great Northern Railway (GNR) was a British railway company, founded by the London & York Railway Act of 1846. ... Hatfield railway station serves the town of Hatfield in Hertfordshire. ... Norwich will be at the eastern tip of the franchise area. ... This article discusses Leicester in England. ... For other uses, see Nottingham (disambiguation). ... Lincoln (pronounced //) is a cathedral city and county town of Lincolnshire, England. ... For other uses, see Sheffield (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Leeds (disambiguation) and Leeds City (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Luton (disambiguation). ... St Pancras railway station, now officially known as St Pancras International, is a major station located in the St Pancras area of central London, between the new British Library building to the west and Kings Cross station to the east. ... Autobus redirects here. ...


There is easy access to London Luton Airport by both rail and road. London Heathrow Airport is around a 30 to 45 minute road journey. London Luton Airport (IATA: LTN, ICAO: EGGW) (previously called Luton International Airport)[3] is an international airport located on the edge of the town of Luton, Bedfordshire, England approximately north of London. ... Heathrow redirects here. ...


GCSE results for District schools show 63% of pupils achieving 5 A* - C grades, against a national average of around 46%. Schools include St Albans School,Francis Bacon School, St Albans High School for Girls, St Albans Girls' School (generally referred to as STAGS), Sandringham School, Beaumont School, Loreto College, Verulam School, Nicholas Breakspear RC School, St Columba's College and Townsend C of E School. The Abbey Gateway, now home to the schools History, Economics and Classics departments. ... St Albans High School is a private (independent) Church of England girls day school founded in 1889 for girls aged 4 to 18, located in the city of St Albans, Hertfordshire. ... Beaumont School is a state maintained mixed school located in St Albans, Hertfordshire, England. ... Loreto College is an 11-18 Voluntary Aided Comprehensive Catholic Girls school located near the centre of St Albans, Hertfordshire. ... Verulam school is a state secondary school for boys in St Albans, Hertfordshire, UK. it was in the past named St Albans Boys Grammar School. ... Nicholas Breakspear RC School is situated on the rural fringe of St Albans, an old Roman city in Hertfordshire, England. ... St Columbas College, St Albans, is a Catholic independent school for boys at King Harry Lane, St Albans, Hertfordshire, England, refounded in the year 1955 by the Brothers of the Sacred Heart. ...

The Norman Cathedral & Abbey Church tower
The Norman Cathedral & Abbey Church tower

The centre of the city suffers significant road traffic congestion because of the city's many small surrounding streets, high car use, inadequate roads, poor take-up and provision of local public transport, to persuade motorists to drive around rather than through the centre. The council estimates that 75% of traffic entering the city is through-traffic. From 2004 the problem was heavily exacerbated by a bungled series of road works, prompting severe criticism of Hertfordshire County Council's Hertfordshire Highways agency. In 2006 the Agency received further criticism for their incompetence and lack of accountability in the multi-million pound overspend and late delivery of works to the St Peter's Street area. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (480x640, 85 KB)Photograph by IXIA, 2004 I took this photograph myself and it may be used by Wikipedia. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (480x640, 85 KB)Photograph by IXIA, 2004 I took this photograph myself and it may be used by Wikipedia. ... Norman conquests in red. ... The City and District of St Albans is a local government district, in Hertfordshire, England. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... For the similarly named county in the West Midlands region, see Herefordshire. ... In the British Isles, a county council is a council that governs a county. ...


A street market is held in Market Place and St Peter's Street on Wednesdays and Saturdays, as it has been for many hundreds of years. There is also a monthly farmers' market, normally on the second Sunday, and a French market every four months. A street market is an outdoor market such as traditionally held in a market square in a market town, and are often held only on particular days of the week. ...


St Albans is one of several places that, by repute, has the most pubs per square mile in the country (Edinburgh, Norwich, Nottingham, Otley and Rochdale are other claimants). It also claims to have the oldest pub in England (in which Sir Walter Raleigh is said to have stayed), named Ye Olde Fighting Cocks (Nottingham again providing a counter-claimant in Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem). A public house, usually known as a pub, is a drinking establishment found mainly in the Great Britain, Ireland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and other countries influenced by British cultural heritage. ... For other uses, see Edinburgh (disambiguation). ... This article is about the English city. ... For other uses, see Nottingham (disambiguation). ... Otley on a market day, looking up Kirkgate with The Chevin in the background Otley is a town in northern England by the River Wharfe. ... For other uses, see Rochdale (disambiguation). ... This article is about the sixteenth-century explorer. ... Ye Olde Fighting Cocks - the view along the River Ver Thorn Olde Fighting Cocks is a public house in St Albans, Hertfordshire, which is one of several that lay claim to being the oldest in England. ... Front of Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem Ye Olde Trip To Jerusalem is one of the 20 public houses (including three in Nottingham) which claim to be the oldest drinking establishment in Great Britain. ...


The main free local weekly newspapers are The Herts Advertiser, and the St Albans and Harpenden Review. The sister title of the Review is the paid-for St Albans Observer, which also has an edition for Harpenden. The Herts Advertiser celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2005. Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...


History

Main article: History of St Albans
The 15th century Clock Tower
The 15th century Clock Tower
The west end of the Cathedral & Abbey Church
The west end of the Cathedral & Abbey Church
Ye Olde Fighting Cocks public house
Ye Olde Fighting Cocks public house
The Old Town Hall and Market Place, viewed from St Peter's Street
The Old Town Hall and Market Place, viewed from St Peter's Street
Kingsbury watermill
Kingsbury watermill

The St Albans area has a long history of settlement. The Celtic Catuvellauni tribe had a settlement at Prae Hill a mile or so to the west. The Roman town of Verulamium, second-largest town in Roman Britain after Londinium, was built alongside this in the valley of the River Ver a little nearer to the present town centre. St Albans is in southern Hertfordshire, England, around 22 miles (35. ... Download high resolution version (300x622, 50 KB)Clock tower in St Albans, 11 October 2003. ... Download high resolution version (300x622, 50 KB)Clock tower in St Albans, 11 October 2003. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2592x1944, 3213 KB) The St. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2592x1944, 3213 KB) The St. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2592x1944, 2165 KB) Ye Olde Fighting Cocks File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2592x1944, 2165 KB) Ye Olde Fighting Cocks File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2592x1944, 2171 KB) St. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2592x1944, 2171 KB) St. ... Kingsbury Watermill Museum, St Albans. ... Kingsbury Watermill Museum, St Albans. ... The Catuvellaunii (meaning probably good in battle) were one of the Celtic tribes living in the British Isles, before the Roman invasion of Britain. ... Remains of the city walls Verulamium was the third largest city in Roman Britain. ... Londinium may refer to: An ancient Roman name for London (see History of London) Londinium (movie) A song by Catatonia A fictional planet in the TV show Firefly, (see moons and planets in Firefly) Londinivm, a free MMORPG. Londinium (album), an album by the band Archive This is a disambiguation... River Ver in St Albans The River Ver is a river in Hertfordshire. ...


The mediaeval town grew up on the hill to the east of this around the Benedictine foundation of St Albans Abbey. This is the spot where tradition has it that St Alban, the first British Christian martyr, was beheaded sometime before AD 324. It was, at one time, the principal abbey in England and the first draft of Magna Carta was drawn up there, reflecting its political importance. The Abbey Church, now St Albans Cathedral (formally the Cathedral & Abbey Church of St Alban but still known locally as The Abbey) became the parish church when it was bought by the local people in 1553, soon after the priory was dissolved in 1539. It was made a cathedral in 1877 when the City Charter was granted. There is evidence that the original site was somewhat higher up the hill than the present building and there had certainly been successive abbeys before the current building was started in 1077. For the college, see Benedictine College. ... Abbey gateway St Albans Abbey was an abbey at St Albans, Hertfordshire, England, dissolved in 1539 during the Dissolution of the Monasteries. ... For related place names see Alban Saint Alban was, along with saints Julius and Aaron, one of three Christian martyrs in Britain. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Relation to other religions Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Christianity Portal This box:      Christianity is a monotheistic[1] religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as presented in the New Testament. ... Events Constantine becomes the sole emperor of the Roman Empire. ... Bold textTHIS IS THE PAGE THAT A.S. REALLY NEEDS!! THIS IS NOW MARKED!!! ] ps i like A.O. This article is about an abbey as a Christian monastic community. ... This article is about the English charter issued in 1215. ... St Albans Cathedral from the west. ... For other uses of the term dissolution see Dissolution. ... Events May 30 - In Florida, Hernando de Soto lands at Tampa Bay with 600 soldiers with the goal to find gold. ...


St Albans School, a public school which occupies a site to the west of the Abbey and which includes the 14th century Abbey Gateway, was founded in AD 948 and is the only school in the English-speaking world to have educated a Pope (Adrian IV). It numbered amongst its buildings until comparatively recently a converted former hat factory, a link with the town's industrial past. Nearby Luton was also a notable centre for the hat making industry. The Abbey Gateway, now home to the schools History, Economics and Classics departments. ... The term public school has three distinct meanings: In the USA and Canada, elementary or secondary school supported and administered by state and local officials. ... For other uses, see Pope (disambiguation). ... Pope Adrian IV (c. ... For other uses, see Luton (disambiguation). ...


The road between the Abbey and the school, running down to the River Ver and Verulamium park (on part of the site of Roman Verulamium), is called Abbey Mill Lane. On this road are the palaces of the Bishops of St Albans and Hertford. The Fighting Cocks public house is at the Verulamium Park end of this road. Also on the River Ver is Kingsbury watermill, which is now maintained as a museum. River Ver in St Albans The River Ver is a river in Hertfordshire. ... Verulamium park in summer Verulamium park is a park in St Albans, Hertfordshire. ... A list of the Anglican bishops of the Diocese of St Albans 1877 - Thomas Leigh Chaughton 1890 - John Wogan Festing 1903 - Edgar Jacob 1920 - Michael Bolton Furse 1944 - Philip Henry Loyd 1950 - Edward Michael Gresford Jones 1970 - Robert Runcie 1980 - John Bernard Taylor 1995 - Christopher William Herbert Categories: Religion stubs... The Suffragan Bishop of Hertford is a post in the Church of England, responsible to the Bishop of St Albans, together with the Suffragan Bishop of Bedford. ... Ye Olde Fighting Cocks - the view along the River Ver Thorn Olde Fighting Cocks is a public house in St Albans, Hertfordshire, which is one of several that lay claim to being the oldest in England. ...


The growth of St Albans was generally slow before the 20th century, reflecting its status as a rural market town, a pilgrimage site, and the first overnight coaching stop of the route to and from London - a fact which also accounts for its many inns, many dating from Tudor times. In the inter-war years it became a popular centre for the electronics industry. In the post-World War II years it was expanded significantly as part of the post-War redistribution of population out of Greater London that also saw the creation of new towns. Sign in a rural area in Dalarna, Sweden Qichun, a rural town in Hubei province, China Rural areas (also referred to as the country, countryside) are settled places outside towns and cities. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... Surface mount electronic components Electronics is the study of the flow of charge through various materials and devices such as semiconductors, resistors, inductors, capacitors, nano-structures and vacuum tubes. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... Greater London is the top-level administrative subdivision covering London, England. ... See New Town for places with that name. ...


The city today shows evidence of building and excavation from all periods of its history and it is a tourist destination. Notable buildings include the Abbey and the early 15th century Clock Tower (pictured). The clock tower is one of only two similar towers in England; it is also the site of an Eleanor cross, which was pulled down in 1703 due to neglect, replaced by the town pump. A fountain was erected in its place in 1874, now relocated to Victoria Place. The popular singer Donovan is rumoured to have learnt to play the guitar outside the Clock Tower.[citation needed] The Eleanor Cross at Charing Cross The Eleanor crosses are lavishly decorated stone monuments in the shape of a cross that Edward I of England erected in memory of his wife Eleanor of Castile. ... For other uses, see Donovan (disambiguation). ...


Running into St Albans from the south is Holywell Hill (generally pronounced "holly-well hill"), its name taken from the story of St Alban: legend has it that his severed head rolled down the hill from the execution site and into a well at the bottom (some versions have a well springing from the site at which the head stopped).


The mixed character of St Albans and proximity to London has made it a popular filming location. The Abbey and Fishpool Street areas were used for the pilot episode of the 1960s' ecclesiastical TV comedy All Gas and Gaiters. The area of Romeland, directly north of the Abbey Gateway and the walls of the Abbey and school grounds, can be seen masquerading as part of an Oxford college in some episodes of Inspector Morse (and several local pubs also appear). Fishpool Street, running from Romeland to St Michael's village, stood in for Hastings in some episodes of Foyle's War. Life Begins was filmed largely in and around St Albans. The Lady Chapel in the Abbey itself was used as a location for at least one scene in Sean Connery's 1995 film First Knight, whilst the nave of the Abbey was used during a coronation scene as a substitute for Westminster Abbey in Johnny English starring Rowan Atkinson. The 19th century gatehouse of the former prison near the mainline station appeared in the title sequence of the TV series Porridge, starring Ronnie Barker. The 2001 film Birthday Girl starring Ben Chaplin and Nicole Kidman was also partly filmed in St Albans. More recently, several scenes from the upcoming film Incendiary, starring Michelle Williams, Ewan McGregor and Matthew Macfadyen, were filmed in St Albans, focusing in particular on the Abbey and the Abbey Gateway. All Gas and Gaiters was a popular British sitcom which ran on BBC from 1966 to 1971. ... Morse (left) as played by John Thaw in the television adaption (with Kevin Whately as Lewis (right)). Detective Chief Inspector Morse is a fictional character, who features in a series of thirteen detective novels by British author Colin Dexter, though he is better known for the 33 episode TV series... For other uses, see Hastings (disambiguation). ... Foyles War is a detective television programme created by screen-writer and author Anthony Horowitz, and commissioned by ITV after the long-running detective series Inspector Morse came to an end in 2000. ... Life Begins is a British television drama broadcast on ITV1, starring Caroline Quentin. ... Sir Thomas Sean Connery (born August 25, 1930) is a Academy Award, Golden Globe, and BAFTA Award-winning Scottish actor and producer who is perhaps best known as the first actor to portray James Bond in cinema, starring in seven Bond films. ... First Knight is a 1995 film based on Arthurian legend. ... The Collegiate Church of St Peter, Westminster, which is almost always referred to by its original name of Westminster Abbey, is a mainly Gothic church, on the scale of a cathedral (and indeed often mistaken for one), in Westminster, London, just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. ... Johnny English is a British comic film parodying the James Bond secret agent genre, released in 2003. ... Rowan Sebastian Atkinson (born 6 January 1955) is an English comedian, actor and writer, famous for his title roles in the British television comedies Blackadder and Mr. ... St Albans railway station is one of two railway stations in St Albans, Hertfordshire, England. ... Porridge was a British BBC television sitcom (1974–1977), written by Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais and starring Ronnie Barker and Richard Beckinsale. ... Ronald William George Barker, OBE (25 September 1929 – 3 October 2005), popularly known as Ronnie Barker was an English comic actor and writer. ... Birthday Girl is a 2001 British Film Four-backed film featuring Nicole Kidman as a Russian mail-order bride. ... Ben Chaplin (born Benedict Greenwood on 31 July 1970, Sunderland) is an English actor who first came to public attention for his performance as Matthew Malone in the first series of the sitcom Game On. ... Nicole Mary Kidman, Order of Australia (born 20 June 1967 in Honolulu) is an Academy Award-winning Australian/American[1] actress. ... Incendiary is a film currently in production and slated for release in 2008. ... Michelle Ingrid Williams (born September 9, 1980) is an Academy Award-nominated American actress. ... Ewan Gordon McGregor (born March 31, 1971; pronounced )[1] is a Scottish actor who has had significant success in mainstream, indie, and art house films. ... Matthew Macfadyen Matthew Macfadyen (born 1974) is a British theatre and film actor, best known for his role as MI5 agent Tom Quinn in the BBC television drama series Spooks. ...


Twinning

St Albans is twinned with: Sign denoting twin towns of Neckarsulm, Germany Town twinning is a concept whereby towns or cities in geographically and politically distinct areas are paired with the goal of fostering human contact and cultural links. ...

In addition, there are friendship links with: Image File history File links Flag_of_Italy. ... Country Italy Region Marche Province Pesaro e Urbino (PU) Mayor Stefano Aguzzi (since June 2004) Elevation 12 m Area 121 km² Population  - Total (as of December 31, 2004) 61,675  - Density 512/km² Time zone CET, UTC+1 Coordinates Gentilic Fanesi Dialing code 0721 Postal code 61032 Frazioni Bellocchi, Camminate... Image File history File links Flag_of_Hungary. ... Nyíregyháza (IPA: /ɲireÉŸhazÉ’/; approximate pronunciation: nyee-redy-haa-zah ) is a city in North-east Hungary and the county capital of Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Palais Ducal Nevers (Latin: Noviodunum, later Nevirnum and Nebirnum) is a commune of central France, the préfecture (capital) of the Nièvre département, in the former province of Nivernais. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Denmark. ... Odense is the third largest city in Denmark with 145,554 inhabitants (Odense city January 1, 2004) and the capital of the island of Funen. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Germany. ... Wormser Dom Worms (pronounced ) is a city in the southwest of Germany. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_Netherlands. ... The old hulsterplas in Nieuwleusen. ...

Image File history File links Flag_of_Bangladesh. ... Sylhet (previously Shilhat and Jalalabad; Sylheti: Bengali: সিলেট, Sileţ) is a major city in north-eastern Bangladesh. ... Image File history File links Naval_Ensign_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... HMS (F83) is a Type 23 frigate of the Royal Navy. ...

Sport

In December 2006, Jack Ridley won the St. Albans triple cump competition. Sport England published a survey which revealed that residents of St Albans were the 9th most active in England in sports and other fitness activities. 26.8% of the population participate at least 3 times a week for 30 minutes.[5] Sport England logo Sport England (formerly the English Sports Council) is the body responsible for distributing funds and providing strategic guidance for sporting activity in England. ...


St Albans is home to one of the country's oldest and finest indoor skateparks, the Pioneer Skatepark in Heathlands Drive, next to the former fire station. Its ramps are available to all skateboarders and inliners. A new outside mini ramp was built in March 2005. A skateboarder in the middle of a trick Skateboarding is the act of rolling on or interacting with a skateboard. ... Skateboarders Skateboarding is the act of riding on and performing tricks with a skateboard. ... Bont ZX2 inline speed skates Inline skates are a type of roller skate, used for inline skating. ...


The local football team is St Albans City FC: its stadium is on the edge of Clarence Park and the team won promotion from the Conference South League in 2005-06. It played in the Nationwide Conference Division of the Football Conference for the 2006-07 season, but finished at the bottom of the table and was relegated.[6] St Albans City F.C. (nicknamed The Saints) is a football club based in St Albans, Hertfordshire, England. ... Conference South (currently billed as Blue Square Southern for sponsorship reasons) is one of the second divisions of the Football Conference in England, taking its place immediately below the Conference National. ... Conference National (currently billed as the Blue Square Premier for sponsorship reasons) [1] is the top division of the Football Conference. ... The Football Conference is a football league at the top of the National League System of non-League football in England. ...


St Albans Centurions rugby league club play at Colney Heath; they play in the Rugby League Conference Premier South division. There is also the Old Albanian Rugby Football Club, a rugby union club which has a large facility known as the Old Albanian sports complex or the Woollam Playing Fields to the north of the city centre and which is also the home of the Saracens A team and Zurich A League and OA Saints Women's Rugby Club (formally St Albans Women's RFC). St Albans RFC play at Boggymead Spring in Smallford, and Rugby Club (formerly Old Verulamians) play at Cotlandswick in London Colney. St Albans Centurions is a rugby league team based in St Albans, Hertfordshire. ... Rugby league football is a full-contact team sport played with a prolate spheroid-shaped ball by two teams of thirteen on a rectangular grass field. ... Colney Heath is a small village south-east of St Albans, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom. ... The Rugby League Conference (RLC) (also known as the Co-operative Rugby League Conference as a result of sponsorship from United Co-operatives is a series of regionally based divisions of amateur rugby league teams spread throughout England, Scotland and Wales. ... Old Albanian Rugby Football Club (OAs) is a rugby club based in St Albans, Hertfordshire, England. ... For other uses, see Rugby (disambiguation). ... Official website www. ... London Colney is a village in Hertfordshire, England. ...


St Albans is also home to St Albans Hockey Club,[7] based in Clarence Park. The club is represented at National league level by both women's and men's teams, as well as other local league competitions. The club's nickname is The Tangerines. Clarence Park is a multi-use stadium in St Albans, England. ...


Clarence Park also plays host to St Albans Cricket Club.[8] The club currently runs four Saturday sides, playing in the Saracens Hertfordshire Cricket League and also two Sunday sides in the Chess Valley Cricket League.


Schools

The secondary schools in the area are:

Independent
Beaumont School is a state maintained mixed school located in St Albans, Hertfordshire, England. ... Francis Bacon School is a mixed sex state school located in St Albans in South Hertfordshire. ... Loreto College is an 11-18 Voluntary Aided Comprehensive Catholic Girls school located near the centre of St Albans, Hertfordshire. ... Marlborough School is a secondary school in St Albans, Hertfordshire, England. ... Nicholas Breakspear RC School is situated on the rural fringe of St Albans, an old Roman city in Hertfordshire, England. ... Sandringham School is a Secondary School in St Albans, Hertfordshire. ... Verulam school is a state secondary school for boys in St Albans, Hertfordshire, UK. it was in the past named St Albans Boys Grammar School. ...

St Albans is the location of two campuses of Oaklands College and of a campus of the University of Hertfordshire. St Albans High School is a private (independent) Church of England girls day school founded in 1889 for girls aged 4 to 18, located in the city of St Albans, Hertfordshire. ... The Abbey Gateway, now home to the schools History, Economics and Classics departments. ... St Columbas College, St Albans, is a Catholic independent school for boys at King Harry Lane, St Albans, Hertfordshire, England, refounded in the year 1955 by the Brothers of the Sacred Heart. ... Oaklands College is a Further education college in Hertfordshire, England in the United Kingdom. ... The University of Hertfordshire is a modern university based largely in Hatfield, in the county of Hertfordshire, United Kingdom, from which the university takes its name. ...


Trivia

  • The Royal Navy has used six vessels with the name HMS St Albans. As the current vessel is a Duke Class Type 23 frigate, its name is taken from the Duke of St Albans, rather than the city.
  • The first meeting of the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) was held in St Albans on 20th November 1972, at the Farriers Arms pub which has a blue plaque commemorating the event. The organisation still has its head office in Hatfield Road. The local branch holds an annual beer festival in St Albans. In recent years this has been a four day event starting on a Wednesday near the end of September.
  • An experimental water tank was built alongside London Road, St Albans for the Vickers shipbuilding company in 1912 on a site measuring 680 feet (210 m) by 100 feet (30 m). Three years later in 1915, the first private wind tunnel was also built here, but moved to their Weybridge works shortly after the First World War. From December 1918 the test tank was used in developing fuselage profiles for amphibious aircraft, such as the Vickers Type 54 Viking, completed during 1919.
  • The 1957 April Fool's Day spoof edition of BBC documentary series Panorama, which dealt with the fictitious Swiss spaghetti harvest, was filmed partly at the (now closed) Pasta Foods factory on London Road, St Albans.
  • The 2001 film Birthday Girl, featuring Nicole Kidman and Ben Chaplin, is set in St Albans.
  • From 1808 to 1814 St Albans hosted a station in the shutter telegraph chain which connected the Admiralty in London to its naval ships in the port of Great Yarmouth.
  • Chiswell Green, directly south of the City, is home to the Royal National Rose Society.
  • A number of places across the world are named after the City of St Albans, most notably in Australia, New Zealand & the United States.
  • St Albans was the name of a planet in the cult science-fiction television series Firefly.
  • In September 2007, St Albans replaced Mayfair as the most expensive square on a special UK Here and Now Edition Monopoly board, having won an internet vote.
  • Until recently, St Albans was noted for having the most pubs per square mile in Britain.

This article is about the navy of the United Kingdom. ... There have been six vessels of the Royal Navy bearing the name St Albans. ... The Type 23 frigate is a class of warship serving with the Royal Navy, also known as the Duke class. ... The title Duke of St Albans was created in the Peerage of England in 1684 for the 1st Earl of Burford when he was fourteen years old. ... The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) is an independent, voluntary, consumer organisation in the United Kingdom whose main aim is promoting real ale and the traditional British pub. ... A blue plaque showing information about The Spanish Barn at Torre Abbey in Torquay. ... For other uses, see Beer (disambiguation). ... Vickers was a famous name in British engineering that existed through many companies from 1828 until 2004. ... 1912 (MCMXII) was a leap year starting on Monday in the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Tuesday in the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... Year 1915 (MCMXV) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Thursday[1] of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... NASA wind tunnel with the model of a plane A wind tunnel is a research tool developed to assist with studying the effects of air moving over or around solid objects. ... , Weybridge is a town in the Elmbridge district of Surrey in South East England. ... “The Great War ” redirects here. ... An amphibious or amphibian aircraft is an aircraft that can land on either land or water. ... this is an article about the single-engined amphibian Vickers Viking of 1918. ... Year 1919 (MCMXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar). ... Year 1957 (MCMLVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1957 Gregorian calendar). ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Panorama is a long-running current affairs documentary series on BBC television, launched on 11 November 1953 and focusing on investigative journalism. ... A photo of a woman harvesting spaghetti in the BBC programme The Spaghetti tree is a fictitious tree; a joke designed to fool those who do not know how spaghetti is produced. ... Birthday Girl is a 2001 British Film Four-backed film featuring Nicole Kidman as a Russian mail-order bride. ... Nicole Mary Kidman, Order of Australia (born 20 June 1967 in Honolulu) is an Academy Award-winning Australian/American[1] actress. ... Ben Chaplin (born Benedict Greenwood on 31 July 1970, Sunderland) is an English actor who first came to public attention for his performance as Matthew Malone in the first series of the sitcom Game On. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... Great Yarmouth, often known to locals simply as Yarmouth, is an English coastal town in the county of Norfolk. ... Chiswell Green is a village near St Albans, Hertfordshire with a population of approximately 2,800, in the City and District of St Albans It is situated 2 miles south of St Albans on the A405 road. ... The Royal National Rose Society is dedicated to the cultivation and appreciation of roses. ... Firefly is an American science fiction television series created by writer/director Joss Whedon, creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel, under his Mutant Enemy Productions. ... For other uses, see Mayfair (disambiguation). ... This article is about the board game. ...

Notable people