St Albans Cathedral.
"The town of St. Albans, in Hertfordshire, is situated close to the
site of the ancient Verulamium, probably at first a British town, and
then a town with some of the privileges of Roman citizens. The
Roman road, called by the Saxons the Watling-street, was also called
Werlaem-street, because it went direct to Verulam, passing close under
its walls. Verulam was the scene of dreadful slaughter in the great
rebellion under Boadicea, who destroyed here and at Londinium
(London), and at other places, about 70,000 Roman citizens and their
allies. Suetonius Paulinus, the then governor of Britain, in return for
her barbarity, attacked her forces, gained a complete victory, and put
80,000 to the sword. Verulam was then rebuilt, and its inhabitants
enjoyed their privileges until the Dioclesian persecution, a.d. 304 ; when the
city was again rendered famous by the martyrdom of its
citizen, St. Alban: " In Britain's isle was Holy Alban born"....
The church is in the form of a cross; its extreme length
is 556 feet, being three feet longer than Winchester
Cathedral, and thus longer than any of our cathedrals.
There are two transepts, 170 feet long, and a central
tower, 150 feet high, of the Norman period, from which
time to that of Edward IV. the style of every age may be
traced in succession. The most central parts are the
most ancient. The carved oak ceiling of the Norman lantern is 102 feet from the pavement.
Extract from Abbeys, Castles and Ancient Halls of England and Wales (Open Library)
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