What’s
May
August 2023 Pilgrimage | Medieval Summer | Special Services
On
-
St Albans Cathedral, home to Britain’s first saint,
the oldest site of continuous Christian worship in Britain.
‘Welcome to our summer edition of What’s On at St Albans Cathedral. As usual, the pages ahead are packed full with something for everyone. We hope that you will come and join us in worship, for a tour, lecture or concert, or to enjoy a quiet moment in this ancient Cathedral and Abbey Church. There are some wonderful highlights this summer including Coronation celebrations, Alban Pilgrimage on 24 June, the family events throughout our Medieval Summer, and the International Organ Festival in July. This is your Cathedral - you are always welcome. We look forward to seeing you soon.’
- The Very Reverend Jo Kelly-Moore, Dean of St Albans
Contents
Cover Image © Emma Collins Photography © Emma Collins Photography
Welcome
is
Your Visit pg 4 Visitor Highlights pg 7 Tours pg 8 Medieval Summer pg 10 Alban Pilgrimage pg 13 Worship pg 14 Coronation pg 16 Music pg 18 Talks pg 23 Exhibitions and Events pg 26 Family Fun pg 28 Young People pg 29 Support the Cathedral pg 30 All information is correct at the time of going to print.
Your Visit
There are many unique sights to take in when you visit St Albans Cathedral, making it a stunning setting for worship, events and tours.
Opening Times
The Cathedral is open all year round 8.30am – 5.30pm. Entry is free. All donations are gratefully received. Occasionally, additional services and events will be added at short notice. Please check the website before making a special visit.
How to Book Your Tickets
Bookings for events taking place at the Cathedral can be made through our website at www.stalbanscathedral.org. You can also book through the Cathedral Box Office, located in the Cathedral Shop, or by calling 01727 890290.
Planning Your Visit
The Cathedral is situated in the heart of St Albans, surrounded by beautiful parkland and just a short stroll away from the city centre. Accessibility for all our visitors is an important part of our welcome and mission. Full information about planning a trip to St Albans Cathedral can be found on our website.
Abbot’s Kitchen
Open daily 10am - 4pm
Abbot’s Kitchen is the perfect place to enjoy tea and cake, or lunch, when you visit the Cathedral.
Cathedral Shop
Open daily 10am – 5pm
Whether you are looking for a memento of your visit to St Albans Cathedral, or looking for a special gift, we are sure you will find something in the Cathedral Shop.
Regular Worship
There are a number of services every day at the Cathedral. All are welcome. See page 14 for more details.
Group Enquiries
We welcome groups from far and wide every day and can tailor tours to suit your group’s interest. Get in touch to find out more.
Groups: 01727 890200
Schools: 01727 890212
Support Us
To find out more about how you can support the Cathedral go to www.stalbanscathedral.org/donate or call 01727 890231
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© Emma Collins Photography
© Peter Bloom
Cathedral Map
6 Crossing Welcome Centre Shop North Transept South Transept Nave Lady Chapel Quire Café
1. Shrine of Saint Alban
2. Shrine of Saint Amphibalus
3. Presbytery and High Altar Screen
4. The Norman Tower
5. Exhibition
6. Wall Paintings
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
7. Toilets
End
West
Visitor Highlights
The Shrine of Saint Alban
The Shrine of Saint Alban is a site of national pilgrimage. People have been coming here for over 1700 years and it is used as a place of prayer and stillness by visitors every day.
The Shrine of Saint Amphibalus
The Shrine of Saint Amphibalus recently underwent a monumental conservation project and is now back in the Cathedral for all to see. St Albans Cathedral is the only cathedral in the country with two restored medieval pedestal shrines.
The Norman Tower
Our Norman Tower is the only 11th century great crossing tower still standing in England today. It is also the only cathedral tower in England to be built using Roman bricks.
You can explore our tower on one of our Tower Tours, see page 8.
Wall Paintings
Be transported back in time as you take in the stunning medieval wall paintings - the best preserved collection in any English cathedral. You can see the wall paintings in the Nave restored to their former glory with unique light projections during our Daily Guided Tours.
The Longest Nave in England
Enjoy walking the longest nave in England, all 85 metres of it! Take in the architecture and atmosphere of this vast space.
The Alban Pilgrimage
This June, witness the return of our annual Alban Pilgrimage, as the city comes together to celebrate Britain’s first Christian saint. Enjoy a wonderful spectacle as giant carnival puppets tell the story of the remarkable man who gave the city its name.
Full details of the Alban Pilgrimage can be found on page 13.
Saints in Colour
Discover our incredible new project, bringing the Wallingford High Altar screen to life in a world first with cutting edge technology.
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St Albans Cathedral is a great place to visit for the whole family – whatever the weather! From the longest nave in England to a jam-packed events programme, there is plenty to see and do.
Tours
Discover stories from 1700 years of history as you embark upon an exciting journey around the Cathedral on one of our special tours.
Daily Guided Tours
These tours are a great introduction to the Cathedral, its history, and its treasures. Our expert Guides will take you through our rich and varied history, exploring features such as our stunning medieval wall paintings, spectacular stained glass windows, and the shrine of Alban, Britain’s first saint.
Mondays - Saturdays 11.30am, 1.05pm and 2.30pm
Sundays 1.05pm and 2.30pm
Free admission, donations welcome. Please see the website for details.
Tower Tours
Selected dates and times
Climb the 211 steps up to the top of the oldest Cathedral tower in Britain and experience fantastic views of St Albans. Go behind closed doors and explore the roof spaces, visit the ringing and bell chambers, before the final climb onto the roof of the tower (weather permitting).
Tickets £10, available from our website. Restrictions apply. Please see the website for details.
Group Tours
Varying days and times
To allow you to make the most of your visit to the Cathedral, we ask groups of six or more to book their tours in advance. The Guides can provide a general tour or something specially tailored to your group’s needs or interests.
Please get in touch mail@stalbanscathedral.org or call us on 01727 890200.
Visually Impaired Persons Tour
Last Friday of the month, 1.30pm
We are delighted to offer our free guided tours for individuals with visual impairments. A dedicated group of guides have been trained to deliver these audio-described tours so that our magnificent building can be more accessible.
Tickets are free and available from our website and the Cathedral Box Office. Please visit the website for details.
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More to Explore Tours
Selected dates, 1.30pm
Discover more of the treasures of the Cathedral with an experienced guide.
Sunday 21 May | Flowers and plants in the Cathedral
Sunday 18 June | Stained Glass - ‘for all the (male) saints’
Sunday 16 July | The Lady Chapel
Sunday 20 August | 700 years ago - A Great Disaster
Free tickets are available from our website.
Cathedral at Night and Compline
Friday 28 July and Friday 25 August, 7pm – 9pm
Enjoy a rare evening visit and explore our medieval past with our costumed guides. See history brought to life with our stunning ‘Saints in Colour’ project and become immersed in an atmosphere of tranquillity and reflection. On Friday 28 July, the evening ends with a special Compline service, to mark a year since the reburial of Abbot John of Wheathampstead. On Friday 25 August, enjoy a talk about The Shrine Monk and His Duties
Free, no tickets required.
History Alive
Saturdays throughout August, 2pm – 4pm
Join us on Saturdays throughout August when costumed guides re-enact characters from our colourful past and bring history to life.
Free, no booking required.
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Medieval Summer
June - September 2023
This summer travel back to Medieval times! Learn more about life in the Middle Ages with a varied range of activities including historical re-enactments and battles, folk dances, crafts, storytelling and so much more.
St Albans Abbey Medieval Archive: What Might Have Been
Saturday 17 June, 10am - 3.30pm, Alban Room
Create a medieval deed of your own and investigate the types of medieval documents that might have been in the abbey’s archive, by comparison with archives at New College Oxford and the cathedrals of Durham and Canterbury.
Tutor: Dr Michael Stansfield
Tickets £25, available from our website.
Medieval Fair
Saturday 24 June, 12noon - 5pm
Start this year’s Medieval Summer with the Alban Pilgrimage and celebrate the saint’s feast day with us in the Cathedral Orchard. Walk through an Anglo-Saxon camp, learn interesting facts about daily life in the Middle Ages and even watch a sword fight. Enjoy local food and drinks accompanied by medieval music and dances and have fun exploring a wide range of medieval-themed activities.
Going to Church in Medieval England
Thursday 6 July, 7.30pm - 9pm, Alban Room and Online
England is full of medieval churches and their architecture is much studied. But what went on inside them? Join author and historian Dr Nicholas Orme to discover more.
Speaker: Dr Nicholas Orme
Tickets £10 (students £6), available from our website.
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© Peter Bloom
The Influence of Astronomy and Cosmology on Medieval Art
Wednesday 19 July, 7.30pm, Alban Room and Online
From medieval manuscripts to renaissance images of the cosmos, explore the astronomical ideas of the Middle Ages.
Speaker: Dr Valerie Shrimplin
Tickets £10 (students £6), available from our website.
Gilded Illumination Workshop
Saturday 22 July, 10am – 3.30pm, Alban Room
Join illuminator Toni Watts to learn how to design, gild and paint your own illuminated letter inspired by medieval manuscripts.
Tutor: Toni Watts
Tickets £70, available from our website.
History Alive - Meet the Medievals
Various dates throughout August, 2pm - 4pm
Come and hear our 10-minute History Alive talks from our costumed characters about life in medieval St Albans Abbey.
Brother Thomas Rocliffe and the Alban Bun
Saturday 5 August, 3pm in the South Transept.
Lady Alice – A Medieval Pilgrim tells her Story
Saturday 12 August, 3pm in the Lady Chapel.
Brother Infirmarian and the Herb Gardens
Saturday 19 August, 3pm in Sumpter Yard.
The Shrine Monk and His Duties
Saturday 26 August, 3pm in the Lady Chapel.
Free, no booking required.
Medieval Summer Tours
Selected dates and times throughout the summer months
Grand Designs
Come on this tour looking at the skills of the medieval builders and craftsmen including stone and wood carving, stained glass, bell casting, wall painting and illuminated manuscripts.
Tickets £7, available from our website.
Women of the Medieval Abbey
Meet women including nuns and saints, queens and ordinary women whose stories form part of the fabric and history of the medieval Abbey Church.
Tickets £7, available from our website.
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The Alban Pilgrimage
Saturday 24 June
Join us for this magnificent procession to celebrate Alban, Britain’s first saint.
Each year 12ft tall carnival puppets, representing figures from the story of Alban, take to the streets to re-enact the historic events which led to Alban’s execution at the hands of the Romans. The puppets are accompanied by lions, Roman soldiers, angels, chariots and more, resulting in a stunning spectacle of colour and celebration.
On the day
11am
Join us for the Alban Pilgrimage - a spectacular procession organised by St Albans Cathedral to celebrate Alban, Britain’s first saint. Starting from St Peter’s Church.
12noon
All are invited to join our Pilgrimage Eucharist, with preacher The Rt Revd Rose Hudson-Wilkin, the Bishop of Dover.
Medieval Fair
12noon - 5pm
Continue the Pilgrimage Day celebrations with an afternoon of medieval-themed fun on the Cathedral Orchard. 5pm
Join us for Evensong. This service ends with a procession to the shrine of St Alban, where red roses are placed on the shrine in an act of celebration.
Pilgrimage Puppets Exhibition
Tuesday 13 June - Monday 26 June
A stunning exhibition of the giant puppets used in the Alban Pilgrimage. As you walk around the Cathedral, see many characters from a remarkable moment in history over 1700 years ago. Free, donations welcome.
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©
© Emma Collins Photography
Diocese of Canterbury
Worship Regular Services
Whether you prefer silent prayer or meditation, attending services, or lighting a candle, we welcome all to worship. It is the heartbeat of our life at the Cathedral.
Sundays
8am Eucharist
9.30am Parish Eucharist
11.15am Choral Eucharist (1st, 2nd, 4th and 5th Sundays)
11.15am Matins (3rd Sunday)
12.30pm Eucharist (3rd Sunday)
6pm Choral Evensong
Saturdays
8.30am Morning Prayer 9am Eucharist
12noon Eucharist at the Shrine 5pm Evensong
Weekdays
7.30am Morning Prayer
8am Eucharist
12noon Eucharist at the Shrine 5pm Evensong (Evening Prayer on a Monday)
Monthly Services
4th Wednesday 10am Mothers’ Union Eucharist
5th Saturday 2.30pm Diocesan Service for the Deaf
Ecumenical Services
The Cathedral also has a thriving Ecumenical Chaplaincy, regularly holding services for different Christian traditions.
Roman Catholic Mass is celebrated every Friday at 12noon.
German Lutheran
A service in German is held on the last Tuesday of every month at 7pm.
Free Church
First Wednesday of every month at 11am.
Orthodox Liturgy
A service is held once a month on a Tuesday at 10.30am.
Please see the website for more information.
A Day Chaplain is available to talk most days.
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Special Services
The Cathedral hosts many special services throughout the year, reflecting the church year and supporting local organisations.
Service of Thanksgiving for the Coronation
Sunday 7 May, 4pm
This service is sung by the Cathedral Choirs.
See page 16 for more information about this service.
Ascension Day
Thursday 18 May, 5pm
Choral Eucharist sung by the boys of the Cathedral Choir.
HMT Empire Windrush 75th Anniversary
Sunday 18 June, 6pm
Choral Evensong marking the 75th Anniversary of the arrival of HMT Empire Windrush.
Preacher: The Revd Azariah France-Williams, author of Ghost Ship, Institutional Racism in the Church of England.
The Alban Pilgrimage 2023
Saturday 24 June
12noon
Pilgrimage Eucharist sung by the Cathedral Girls Choir and Lay Clerks of the Cathedral Choir.
5pm
Choral Evensong sung by the Cathedral Choir.
See page 13 for more information about services on this special day.
Ordination of Deacons
Saturday 1 July, 5pm
For more information about worship at the Cathedral, please visit our website.
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© Emma Collins Photography
Service of Thanksgiving for His Majesty The King to celebrate the Coronation
Join us across the Coronation Weekend for worship and fellowship, as we come together in celebration of the King’s Coronation.
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© Hugo Burnand
Saturday 6 May
Coronation Screening and Community Lunch
From 10am
The processions and the Coronation service will be screened in the Nave of the Cathedral. There will be activities for all ages and we look forward to welcoming our wider community to celebrate this important day. Following the screening there will be a bring your own lunch and cash bar. Evensong will be sung by the Cathedral choir at 5pm.
Admission free, £5 donations on the door are welcome.
Sunday 7 May
Morning services with special prayers
9.30am and 11.15am
Our Parish and Choral Eucharist take place as usual and will include special prayers for the Coronation.
Service of Thanksgiving for the Coronation
4pm
We are thrilled to be hosting the Hertfordshire County Service of Thanksgiving for the Coronation of His Majesty The King with the Cathedral Girls Choir and Lay Clerks of the Cathedral Choir singing. We also welcome the Dacorum Choir for this event, as well as uniformed organisations as we give thanks on this day of national importance.
Monday 8 May
The Big Help Out
10.30am onwards
As part of The Big Help Out initiative, we invite the local community to come and volunteer for a litter-pick, polishing and cleaning in the Cathedral. All materials will be provided, just bring yourself! Feel free to bring a packed lunch to round off our morning’s work. Registration from 10.30am at the Cathedral on the day.
Long Live the King!
This special tour marks the Coronation of King Charles III by looking at over 1200 years of royal connections with the Cathedral, from the foundation of the Abbey Church by King Offa of Mercia in 793 to visits by Queen Elizabeth II.
Monday 1 May at 11am
Friday 5 May at 2pm
Thursday 11 May at 2pm
Saturday 13 May at 11am
Tickets from £7, available from our website.
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Music
Mona Rozdestvenskyte (Bremen)
Saturday 20 May, 5.30pm
IOF organ recital.
Admission free, collections go to the International Organ Festival.
Organ Concerts
Join us for one of our fantastic free Organ Concerts, with retiring collections in aid of Cathedral music funds.
Wednesday 17 May, 12.30pm
Carolyn Craig, Organ Scholar, Westminster Cathedral
Wednesday 14 June, 12.30pm
Charles Wooler, Newcastle
Sunday 30 July, 3pm
Oliver Morrell, Organ Scholar, St Albans Cathedral
Sunday 13 August, 3pm
Andrew Lucas, Master of the Music, St Albans Cathedral
Monday 28 August, 1pm
Nathan Laube, International Concert Organist, USA
Music has been central to the life of the Cathedral for centuries. Join us this Summer for a magnificent programme of concerts.
© Emma Collins Photography
The St Albans International Organ Festival and Competitions is a biennial event not to be missed, for all music lovers. The 32nd Festival – celebrating 60 years – will present exhilarating music by inspirational performers, celebrating the organ and so much more. Find out more at organfestival.com
Interpretation and Improvisation Competitions
Top organists aged 33 and under from across the world will compete in a total of 15 competition sessions, running from Monday 3 July to the finals on Thursday 13 and Friday 14 July.
Tickets from £15 per session (season ticket £150, a saving of £75), available from our website. Free admission for under 18s and for students in full-time education.
All events take place at St Albans Cathedral unless otherwise stated.
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© Illustration by generous permission of Bucket List Prints, bucketlistprints.com
Song Recital: James Gilchrist with Anna Tilbrook
Monday 3 July, 8.15pm at St Peter’s Church, St Albans
Celebrated tenor James Gilchrist performs tuneful and evocative British music from the 20th and 21st centuries with his distinguished regular pianist Anna Tilbrook.
Tickets from £15, available from our website.
Organ Stops: Saving the King of Instruments
Tuesday 4 July, 12.30pm at St Peter’s Church, St Albans
A moving documentary following the tireless efforts to save magnificent organs across Britain as churches and venues close. Free tickets available in advance from our website.
Rachel Podger with Christopher Glynn
Tuesday 4 July, 8.30pm
A recital of Mozart Sonatas by renowned violinist Rachel Podger, accompanied on fortepiano by Christopher Glynn.
Tickets from £25, available from our website.
Judith Weir in Conversation
Wednesday 5 July, 1pm
The Master of the King’s Music and composer of the commissioned work for this year’s Interpretation Competition talks about her life and work with Artistic Director David Titterington. Free tickets available in advance from our website.
Bach Corner: Paul Greally
Thursday 6 July, 1.15pm
Bach performed by outstanding young organists: 30 minutes of uplifting music in the middle of the day.
Admission free, no tickets required.
The Tallis Scholars Birthday Concert
Thursday 6 July, 8pm
In 1973, Peter Phillips founded a group dedicated to the performance of Renaissance polyphony. This concert – their first ever in St Albans –celebrates 50 years and well over 2300 performances to date.
Tickets from £10, available from our website.
Bach Corner: Ophelia Amar
Friday 7 July, 1.15pm
Bach performed by outstanding young organists: 30 minutes of uplifting music in the middle of the day.
Admission free, no tickets required.
Juror Organ Recital: Pieter van Dijk
Saturday 8 July, 4.30pm at St Peter’s Church, St Albans
Tickets £15, available from our website.
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© Chris Christodoulou
Britten Sinfonia and St Albans Bach Choir
Saturday 8 July, 7.30pm
A rare chance to hear two exceptional and monumental works in the same evening: Berlioz’s Te Deum and Saint-Saëns’ Symphony No.3 (‘Organ’), conducted by David Hill and Andrew Lucas with tenor James Gilchrist and organist Thomas Trotter.
Tickets from £10, available from our website.
Juror Organ Recital: Todd Wilson
Sunday 9 July, 3pm
Tickets £15, available from our website.
Angela Hewitt, piano
Sunday 9 July, 8.30pm
Solo Bach and Schumann, performed by one the most celebrated exponents of our time and a Festival Patron: not to be missed!
Tickets from £15, available from our website.
Juror Organ Recital: Bine Bryndorf
Monday 10 July, 1pm at Christ Church Spitalfields
Tickets £15, available from our website.
Elaine Delmar
Monday 10 July, 8.30pm
With Barry Green piano and Simon Thorpe double bass. One of the truly legendary jazz singers comes to the Festival for the first time. Hertfordshire-born Elaine Delmar ‘truly defines the word class’ (Humphrey Lyttelton, BBC Radio 2).
Tickets from £15, available from our website.
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Kaleidoscope Chamber Collective
Tuesday 11 July, 8pm
Associate Ensemble at Wigmore Hall, this ‘sparky, shape-shifting ensemble of starry young musicians’ (TheArtsDesk) perform celebrated piano quartets by Mozart and Dvořák alongside exciting works by Fanny Mendelssohn and Errollyn Wallen.
Tickets from £15, available from our website.
Der Golem, silent horror film
Wednesday 12 July, 9.30pm
Music improvised on the organ and the infinite possibilities of electronics combine to extraordinary effect to bring this 1920 German silent horror film to life. Performed by students from the Royal Academy of Music and directed by Franz Danksagmüller.
Tickets £18, available from our website.
Bach Corner: Johannes Güdelhöfer
Thursday 13 July, 1.15pm
Bach performed by outstanding young organists: 30 minutes of uplifting music in the middle of the day.
Admission free, no tickets required.
Juror Organ Recital: Jean-Baptiste Robin
Thursday 13 July, 6pm
Tickets £15, available from our website.
Bach Corner: Charles Francis
Friday 14 July, 1.15pm
Bach performed by outstanding young organists: 30 minutes of uplifting music in the middle of the day.
Admission free, no tickets required.
Juror Organ Recital: Rie Hiroe
Friday 14 July, 3.30pm at St Peter’s Church, St Albans
Tickets £15, available from our website.
Presentation of Awards and Prize-Winners’ Concert
Saturday 15 July, 11am
Your chance to hear the winners of the 32nd St Albans International Organ Competition, together in a celebratory programme.
Tickets from £15, available from our website.
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Talks
St Albans Cathedral offers a rich programme of adult learning events designed to explore faith, history and culture from many different angles.
Women, the Church Fathers, and the Armenian Christianity
Thursday 11 May, 7.30pm - 9pm, Alban Room & Online
Explore Armenian Christian theological thought with Dr David Zakarian and discover more about the role of women in the Armenian Church.
Speaker: Dr David Zakarian
Tickets £10 (students £6), available from our website.
The Uncertain Future of Public Service Broadcasting: Will Religion have a Place in it?
Thursday 18 May, 7.30pm - 9pm, Alban Room & Online
Join Dean Jo Kelly-Moore and renowned presenter Roger Bolton as they reflect on religious broadcasting in a rapidly changing media environment.
Speakers: Dean Jo Kelly-Moore and Roger Bolton
Tickets £10 (students £6), available from our website.
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The Rossettis: a New Way of Living
Saturday 20 May, 10.30am - 3.30pm, Offa Room
Explore the Rossetti family’s history and extraordinary cultural impact, and take a look at the exhibits behind the Tate Modern’s ‘The Rossettis’ exhibition.
Speakers: Dr Carol Jacobi, Prof. Tim Boatswain and Prof. Geraint John
Tickets £25, available from our website.
Queer Holiness: the Gift of LGBTQI People to the Church
Wednesday 24 May, 7.30pm - 9pm, St Albans Cathedral
Bishop John Gladwin joins Charlie Bell to reflect on how truthfulness, openness, honesty and integrity might be placed at the centre of the church’s vision for all people.
Speakers: Bishop John Gladwin and the Revd Charlie Bell
Tickets £10 (students £6), available from our website.
Embroidery Workshop with the Royal School of Needlework
Saturday 3 June, 10am - 4pm, Alban Room
In a creative partnership with the Royal School of Needlework, join us for a bespoke hand embroidery workshop to complement the exhibition Threads through Creation.
Tickets available from the Royal School of Needlework website.
Tilling and Keeping: Finding our place in the Threads through Creation from the Genesis stories
Wednesday 7 June, 7.30pm - 9pm, St Albans Cathedral & Online
To coincide with the outstanding quilt exhibition, Threads through Creation, join Dean Jo Kelly-Moore to reflect on the beauty and significance of Creation in the Book of Genesis.
Speaker: Dean Jo Kelly-Moore
Tickets £10 (students £6), available from our website.
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©Toby Shepheard
Remembering 1323: Rebuilding St Albans’ Nave
Wednesday 14 June, 7.30pm - 9pm, St Albans Cathedral Nave
Discover a story of rebuilding and renewal as we mark the 700th anniversary since part of the Nave collapsed in 1323.
Speaker: John McNeill
Tickets £10 (students £6), available from our website.
Faith, Hope and the Climate Crisis
Tuesday 20 June, Live on the Cathedral’s Facebook Page
Join our Canon Environmentalist, Dr Hilary Marlow, Wai-Keat Ngai and Bishop Alan Smith as they reflect on a Christian response to the environment and why there might be hope for the future of creation.
Speakers: Bishop Alan Smith, Dr Hilary Marlow and Wai-Keat Ngai
Watch for free on our Facebook channel @StAlbansCathedralOfficial
Sharing the Medieval Book: Digitising Matthew Paris’ Book of St Albans
Thursday 29 June, 7.30pm - 9pm, Online
Speakers: Digital Collections Team, Trinity College Dublin
Tickets £10 (students £6), available from our website.
Botanical Shakespeare: A Cocktail-Making Workshop
Saturday 22 July, St Albans Cathedral
Join ‘Botanical Shakespeare’ author Gerit Quealy, for a ‘Play-onCocktails’ workshop, where you learn to mix a delicious drink from the plants found growing in Shakespeare’s works.
Tutor: Gerit Qualy
Tickets and timings available from our website early May 2023.
Born Sinful? A Dramatised Debate
Thursday 27 July, 7.30pm - 9pm, St Albans Cathedral
Join us for a theatrical and imaginary debate on Original Sin between the British theologian Pelagius and St Augustine of Hippo.
Speakers: Prof. Tim Boatswain and Stephen de Silva
Tickets £10 (students £6), available from our website.
Library
Open Monday - Friday from 10am - 4pm and Saturday from 10am - 1pm.
To find out more, please visit www.stalbanscathedral.org/library
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Exhibitions and Events
There are lots of new and exciting events at the Cathedral this summer. Find out more about what’s on and how you can get involved with your local community.
Graffiti Workshops with Ant Steel
May - November 2023
Join our artist in residence, Ant Steel, for graffiti art workshops for all ages. Find out more about the history and art of graffiti, and contribute to the making of a major collaborative project. Tickets and more information available from our website.
Threads through Creation
Wednesday 3 May - Sunday 11 June
Come and admire the Creation stories reimagined in this outstanding quilt exhibition by Devon-based textile artist Jacqui Parkinson. Let yourself be enchanted by 12 large-scale and colourful embroideries while you look, imagine and question the Book of Genesis in a completely different way.
Free, donations welcome.
Shape up your brain! Neurobic exercises at the Cathedral
Monday 15 May, 2.30pm - 4.30pm, Alban Room
Boost your memory in this energising and vivid workshop delivered by local mathematician Gareth Rowlands. Places are limited. Free tickets are available from our website.
Spring/Summer Clothes Giveaway
Sunday 21 May, 12.30pm - 3.30pm, Offa Room
Do not miss the upcoming Spring/Summer edition of this fashionable, environmental-friendly and free event at the Cathedral. Pick up some pre-loved pieces of clothing to stand out in style this Spring and Summer and help save our planet!
Free, donations welcome.
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Concerts by Candlelight
Join us for an incredible night of music by candlelight starting at 7.30pm.
Queen by Candlelight
Monday 22 May, Tuesday 23 May, Thursday 25 May.
George Michael by Candlelight
Friday 26 May.
Fleetwood Mac by Candlelight
Tuesday 15 August, Wednesday 16 August, Thursday 17 August.
Meatloaf by Candlelight
Friday 18 August and Saturday 19 August.
Tickets from £10 available through our website.
St Albans Community Showcase
Saturday 10 June
Join us as we host a range of charities and other groups all of which contribute to our strong community in St Albans - and more widely around the country and the world.
Free, donations welcome.
Gin and Rum Festival
Saturday 22 July, 12.30pm - 10.30pm
For one day only, join the Gin & Rum Festival as they bring 120 of the best gins and rums into the Nave of the Cathedral.
Over 18s only, tickets £15, available through our website.
90’s Silent Disco
Friday 4 August, 8pm - 11pm
The UK’s best 90s DJs playing all your favourite tunes.
Over 18s only, tickets from £23, available through our website.
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Family Fun
There are plenty of fun activities, events and interactive experiences for our young visitors.
Artist in Residence
May half-term and summer holidays
Come and create with Ant Steel, our Artist in Residence. Ant is a specialist in graffiti art and has examples of his work all over St Albans. Suitable for 9 – 16 year olds.
Tickets available from our website.
Family Discovery Mornings
Selected Thursdays in June, July and August
Come and explore the Cathedral on one of our ever popular Family Discovery Mornings. With a different theme each time, there is plenty to explore. Includes the chance to dress up, create art and craft and have lots of historical fun!
Free, no booking required.
Royal School of Needlework
Sunday 4 June, 1pm - 4pm
Linking in with the Threads through Creation exhibition, come and learn all about sewing from the world-leading experts from the Royal School of Needlework as part of this drop-in session.
Tickets available from our website.
A Day in the Life of a Monk
Selected dates in July and August
Travel back in time and experience a day in the life of a medieval monk! Learn about the medieval Monastery before taking part in three different workshops – Medieval Medicine, Illuminated Lettering and Medieval Singing. Suitable for ages 8 – 12 as well as accompanying parents, this is a real opportunity for some family fun.
Tickets available from our website.
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© Emma Collins Photography
Young People
We offer an exciting array of clubs for young people at the Cathedral.
Abbey Tots
Tuesdays, 10am, Offa Room
Come along to this popular parent and toddler group for pre-schoolers and their parents or carers. Free tickets available on our website.
Abbey Tots Service
Thursdays, 10am, St Michael Chapel
Our service for pre-school age children includes Bible stories, songs and prayers, as well as a snack and special meal. Free tickets available on our website.
St Albans Young Singers
Mondays, 4.45pm and 5.15pm
A lively singing group for all aged 6 - 12, with fun and varied music. This group is open to anyone who is enthusiastic about music.
Xcite
Fridays, 6.30pm, Alban Room
A youth group for those aged 8 - 12, meeting during term time. It is the perfect opportunity to socialise and have fun with friends.
Youth Group
1st and 3rd Sundays each month during term time, 7pm8.15pm
Our new fun and sociable youth group for ages 13 - 17 meets for games, conversation, hot chocolate, and activities twice a month.
Email our Youth Chaplain calum.zuckert@stalbanscathedral.org for more information about St Albans Young Singers, Xcite and our Youth Group.
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© Still Cast Photography
The Friends of St Albans Cathedral
The Friends of St Albans Cathedral are an independent charity providing financial and practical support to the Cathedral.
The Friends play a vital role in enabling the life and work happening in our glorious building to develop and thrive as it has done for nearly 1000 years.
“The Friends of St Albans Cathedral are a key part of the ongoing flourishing of our mission and ministry through their generous support.”
The Very Reverend Jo Kelly-Moore, Dean of St Albans
For more information on how to join the Friends and support our valuable work, visit us at www.stalbanscathedral.org/friends or email us at Friends@stalbanscathedral.org. Alternatively, you can contact Hazel Ireson, Membership Secretary on 01582 832312.
Friends of St Albans Cathedral
St Albans Cathedral
Sumpter Yard, St Albans, Hertfordshire, AL1 1BY
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Section of the re-imagined Nave wall paintings (Alban and Amphibalus)
Adopt St Albans Cathedral A gift with a difference
Are you looking for a unique gift for the person who has everything? Why not adopt St Albans Cathedral!
Choose a Roman brick from the Norman tower, a pipe from the Harrison & Harrison organ, or a historic page, image or manuscript from the Cathedral archive.
From just £25, each bespoke Gift Pack includes details of the adoption, a certificate and your personal message - perfect for wrapping up or sending through the post. Even better, your gift supports the future of this historic Cathedral. Adoptions last a lifetime (100 years) and are recorded under the name of your choosing in our archives in perpetuity.
Adoptions can be made as a gift, personal donation or in memory of a loved one. Adoption levels range from £25 to £1000 in each of the three categories.
Find out more about our Adopt scheme at www.stalbanscathedral.org/adopt or email development@stalbanscathedral.org
Opening times
The Cathedral is open daily 8.30am – 5.30pm.
Entry is free
All donations are gratefully received.
Tickets
Book online at www.stalbanscathedral.org, in-person at our Box Office, located in the Cathedral Shop, or call 01727 890290.
For the latest information visit our website and sign up for our What’s On newsletter.
St Albans Cathedral
Sumpter Yard, St Albans, Hertfordshire, AL1 1BY Cathedral Office: 01727 890210
Email: mail@stalbanscathedral.org
www.stalbanscathedral.org
/StAlbansCathedralOfficial
@stalbanscathedral
@StAlbansCath
@stalbanscathedral
“... every time I visit, it feels like the first time. There’s just something breath taking about it.”
CBP018023
