Only 20mins By train from London
by Wowmoment
History, loads of it. Any visitor to the capital with a little time to spare will be rewarded by a trip to St Albans. Trains run regularly from St Pancras (pick a fast one not a stoppng one).
St Albans has got the lot - Roman and pre-Roman times; One of the finest Norman Abbey Churches in the country; Architecture from almost every period; Evidence of the great days of the Mail Coach and much, much more. Being a part of the great scheme of things. St Albans has been her for thousands of years and will be here for many more. This place puts life in perspective.
Battles of St. Albans
by graeme83
The First Battle of St Albans was the first battle in the War of the Roses. It was fought on 22 May 1455. Richard, Duke of York and his ally, Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick, defeated the Lancastrians under Edmund, Duke of Somerset, who was killed. York also captured King Henry VI.
This battle is widely known for its appearance in Shakespeare's play Henry VI, Part 2. The play ends with the result of the battle.
The Second Battle of St Albans was fought on 17 February, 1461, at St Albans. The army of York was beaten in the battle by the Lancastrians and King Henry was released. However, the York army eventually won the war and the kingdom.
The Sopwell Nunnery
by St_Vincent
I’ve been to St Albans quite a few times but didn’t know that the Sopwell Nunnery existed until I saw it mentioned in the pages of another VT member (Willettsworld ). So last time I went I searched it out and found a real treat. It is set far enough away from the road to feel secluded yet is also quite easy to find. If you get there at the right time, and are lucky enough to be the only one around, it has a rather mystical quality to it as it appears out of the early morning mist like some magical ancient ruin. The fact that the local authorities keep the land around it naturally overgrown helps with the effect that you have stumbled across some previously undiscovered site.
The original Nunnery dates back to 1140 and was built by Geoffrey de Gorham the abbot of St. Albans. In the 1500’s it became part of Sir Richard Lee’s Tudor mansion but the Nunnery seems to be the only surviving building. There is enough of it left to get an idea of the size and layout and as you wander through the archways of the ruins it is easy to imagine you are going from one room to another or walking out into the courtyard.
It is a walk of around 15 minutes from the town centre but definitely worth the trip. Located off Cottonmill Lane, it is close to the end of Prospect Road which links Cottonmill Lane with the bottom of Holywell Hill near the Abbey Station and the entrance to the park. There is also a public footpath that runs beside the river that takes you there from the Verulamium Park.
Olde Worlde charm in Fishpool Street
by St_Vincent
For an interesting and nostalgic walk through olde worlde St. Albans, seek out Fishpool Street. If you are in the town centre head for the Clock Tower and turn right down the High St. Follow the road to the left of the Tudor Tavern which becomes George St. and then Romeland Hill and you will see the Cathedral on your left. Continue down past the school and you will find yourself in Fishpool St. which gets it's name from a large fishpond located nearby in mediaeval times. It is a residential area that is a real treat, a mix of old and older properties, stepped entrances, wrought iron door knockers & boot scrapers, old gas lamps, cobbled pathways and ivy clad walls. Follow the winding road for more gems. Soon you will pass the Lower Red Lion, a 17th Century Coaching Inn and one of the best real ale pubs in St Albans. Another feature you will notice is the high pavements, ideal for alighting horse drawn carriages but not for the cars of today.
Further on you will see St Michael's Manor, an old manor house which is now a luxury hotel, and at the bottom, there are two pubs, the Blue Anchor and the Black Lion Inn. But don't stop there, follow the road a little further round to the left and over the bridge and you will find two lovely old pubs, the Rose & Crown and the Six Bells in St Michael's Village.
Fishpool St. also features in my travelogue of A Sunday morning walk through St Albans
Fit for a King?
by planxty
The first place of note on the City Trail is French Row, a small street situated near the Town Hall. It is so named because it was where King John of France was imprisoned after the Battle of Poitiers in 1356. the site of his actual imprisonment was where the Fleur de Lys pub now stands (see seperate tip).
their fame is legion!
Specialist food market
a flint house
coot
