Chapter I: Preface

The Rev. W.D. Sweeting, who had originally undertaken to write this monograph on St. Albans, having been obliged, on account of ill-health, to abandon the work, the Publishers asked me to write it in his stead. My task was rendered much easier by Mr. Sweeting kindly sending me much material that he had collected, and many valuable notes that he had made, especially on the history of the Abbey.

My best thanks are due to the Dean for kindly allowing me permission to examine every part of the Cathedral church, and to take the photographs with which this book is illustrated. A few illustrations only are from other sources, among them those on pages 9 and 11, for permission to use which I have to thank Mr. John Murray. I have also to acknowledge the courtesy of the vergers, Mr. Newell and Miss Davis from both of whom I obtained much information; Miss Davis's long connection with the church, and the interest she takes in every detail connected with it, rendered her help most valuable. I have consulted many books on the Abbey, among them Lord Grimthorpe's and Mr. Page's Guides, Mr. James Neale's "Architectural Notes on St. Albans Abbey," and papers read before the St. Albans Archaeological Society by the Rev. Henry Fowler.

THOMAS PERKINS. TURNWORTH. _July, 1903._

LIST OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE

I. HISTORY OF THE BUILDING 3

II. THE EXTERIOR 23

III. THE INTERIOR 35

IV. HISTORY OF THE MONASTERY AND SEE 81

V. THE NEIGHBOURHOOD 106

INDEX 113

DIMENSIONS OF THE CATHEDRAL 115

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

PAGE ST. ALBANS CATHEDRAL FROM THE SOUTH _frontispiece_ ARMS OF THE SEE _title-page_ VIEW FROM THE NORTH-EAST BEFORE RESTORATION 2 ST. ALBANS ABBEY BEFORE 1874 3 PLAN OF THE NORMAN CHURCH 9 THE SOUTH-WEST PORTAL BEFORE THE REBUILDING OF THE WEST FRONT 11 EXTERIOR OF THE LADY CHAPEL BEFORE 1874 15 INTERIOR OF THE LADY CHAPEL BEFORE 1874 16 THE ARCADE IN THE SLYPE BEFORE ITS REMOVAL 20 FLOOR TILE 21 THE ANGLE BETWEEN NAVE AND TRANSEPT 22 THE NEW WEST FRONT 23 THE SOUTH TRANSEPT AS REBUILT 27 THE LADY CHAPEL CHOIR AND TRANSEPT FROM THE SOUTH-EAST 28 VIEW FROM THE NORTH-EAST 30 THREE OLD FLOOR TILES 32 THE NAVE FROM THE WEST END 34 BASE OF INCOMPLETE PIER 37 PLAN OF PIER 37 ARCADE ON NORTH SIDE OF NAVE 38 EASTERN PART OF THE NORTH SIDE OF NAVE 39 NORTH NAVE ARCADE, WESTERN END 41 SOUTH NAVE ARCADE 43 SOUTH AISLE OF NAVE 45 HOLY WATER STOUP 46 NORTH AISLE OF NAVE 47 SAXON BALUSTER SHAFTS IN SOUTH TRANSEPT 50 DOORWAY IN SOUTH TRANSEPT 51 THE CROSSING LOOKING WESTWARD 54 THE CHOIR 55 THE WALLINGFORD SCREEN 58 KEY TO THE SCULPTURE 59 THE RAMRYGE CHANTRY 60 SOUTH AISLE OF PRESBYTERY 62 WOODEN FIGURE OF MENDICANT 63 RETRO-CHOIR 64 BASE OF THE SHRINE OF ST. AMPHIBALUS 65 BACK OF THE WATCHING LOFT 66 RAMRYGE'S CHANTRY FROM THE AISLE 67 ONE OF THE OLD WESTERN DOORS 68 LADY CHAPEL 69 PEDESTAL OF ST. ALBANS SHRINE 73 WATCHING LOFT 75 MONUMENT OF HUMPHREY, DUKE OF GLOUCESTER 77 SOUTH CHOIR AISLE 80 JOHN OF WHEATHAMPSTEAD'S CHANTRY 100 OLD FLOOR TILE 105 THE GREAT GATE 106 MONUMENT OF LORD BACON 109 THE OLD ROUND HOUSE 111 PLAN OF THE CATHEDRAL 116

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ST. ALBANS CATHEDRAL