As soon as time and opportunity allowed places of worship were erected,
and the natural form adopted would be that of the cross, for which they
had suffered so much persecution, and which typified the foundation of
their faith and hopes of salvation.
As they assembled in church they would be sensible of the prevailing
influence of the emblem. In every direction, look where they would, they
would always see the holy sign. The roof would reveal to the gaze the
same form as that on the ground.
Even the walls, as they soared upwards, out-lined, tier upon tier, the
Christian sign, capped at the last by a mighty cross, which cast its
protecting shadows around and over the worshippers.
The altar came to be placed at the head of the cross. The transept,
crossing it at right angles, formed the arms, and the nave the upright.
The altar was always situated at the east end, again illustrating a link
with the pagan times, when worshippers turned towards the sun.
As time progressed chapels were erected along the sides, causing the
walls to be pierced and arched. These chapels were in honour, firstly,
of "The Blessed Virgin," and then of the leaders of "The Faith," who had
been canonised as saints on account of martyrdom. But the main building
was always dedicated to the "God Head."
By a special grant in 1154, given by Pope Adrian IV., who was born near
St. Albans, and who was the only Englishman ever appointed to the Papal
See, the abbots of St. Albans were allowed the privilege of wearing a
mitre. Added to this dignity he was given precedence over all in
England, whether they were king, archbishop, bishop, or legate. He also
exercised supreme episcopal jurisdiction over all clergy and laity in
all lands pertaining to the monastery.
The first abbot was Willgod, nominated by King Offa.
The last one was Richard Boreman, otherwise Stevenache.
In all there were forty-one from the foundation to the suppression,
which took place in 1534. In that year the monastery was seized by Henry
VIII., who allowed pensions to the monks, and an annuity to the abbot.
About 1480 the abbey was amongst the first in England to set up a
printing press. On this the first English translation of the Bible was
printed.
* * * * *
In spite of every loving care exercised, the relics of St. Alban enjoyed
little rest. In Wulruth's reign as fourth abbot, the abbey suffered at
the hands of the Danes. They carried away with them the bones of "the
Proto-martyr" to Denmark, and there placed them in a convent at Owenses.
They were found and brought back to the abbey.
Again, seventy years later, the Danes ravaged the country. But this time
AElfric II., eleventh abbot, resorted to artifice. He hid the bones in
the walls of the church, and sent bogus relics to the monastery at Ely,
giving the monks special charges to guard them well. On the retirement
of the Danes from the country, AElfric sent post haste to reclaim these
bones. Ely at first demurred, but, giving way in the end, sent back some
substituted bones. This disquieted the saint.
He appeared to Gilbert, a Benedictine monk, and to him disclosed the
fraud, enjoining him to bring to light the true bones from their
hiding-place. This was solemnly done. But Ely unexpectedly disclosed the
artifice they had practised, and claimed that they were in possession of
the true relics.
As neither party would yield, "the relics of St. Alban" for a hundred
years received reverential and impartial homage both at St. Albans and
at Ely. Eventually Ely disclaimed their right, on the appeal of Robert
de Gorham, the eighteenth abbot, to the Pope.
In the history of the "Wars of the Roses," the city of St. Albans played
a prominent part.
In 1455 Henry VI. set up his royal standard on the north side of the
town, whilst the Yorkists, under the Duke of York and the Earl of
Warwick, the "Kingmaker," encamped in the fields east of the town.
On May 3 of the same year in Holywell Street and its adjacent roads
fought the two armies to decide the succession to the English throne.
The Yorkists gained the victory. The king was taken a wounded prisoner.
On February 17, 1461, St. Albans was for the second time the scene of a
terrible battle. The Lancastrians, with Queen Margaret at their head,
defeated the Yorkists under the Earl of Warwick, and restored Henry VI.
to the throne.
The principal portions now in existence of the original Norman church by
Paul of Caen are the tower, the eastern bays of the nave, and the
transepts. Though it exhibits specimens of architecture of different
periods, and has undergone much restoration, the main architectural
outlines, as conceived by Paul, have been adhered to all the time.
Within recent years Sir Gilbert Scott, succeeded by Sir Edmund Beckett,
made extensive renovations. The only reminder of the once vast monastic
buildings is the great gateway, within a few yards of the west entrance
to the abbey.