Medieval architecture
Crossing archesA mixture of Architecture
From its elevated situation on the site of the execution and burial of St Alban, our first British martyr, the Abbey church of St Alban has dominated its surroundings for over 900 years. It is a building of contrast, architectural styles from the Saxon period through to the great Victorian restoration and a 20th century Chapter house.
The only Saxon work now in the Abbey can be seen in the shafts up in the triforium (first floor gallery) of both the North and South Transepts
The Norman rebuilding of the Abbey Church began in 1077. Great use was made of building materials from the remains of the local Roman city of Verulamium, mostly brick and flint, along with blocks of limestone possibly from Barnack in Lincolnshire. The brick and flint structure was plastered throughout giving an ideal surface for painting.
What is now left of this early Norman work carried out during the abbacy of Paul of Caen, is the magnificent tower, the transepts (with some later alterations), the north and three bays of the south nave and aisles, and parts of the presbytery walls. The great tower is 144 feet high, weighing about 5000 tons above the piers, which themselves are founded on limestone, still visible beneath the south west pier.
The vaults in the presbytery aisles of Paul of Caen's church are groin vaults, formed by the intersection at right angles of two barrel or tunnel vaults. Groin vaults can be seen in the western bays of the north and south presbytery aisles and on a small scale in the triforium passages.
Externally, Paul of Caen's work is still visible not only in the tower, but also much of the north transept and some eastern bays of the nave (especially on the north aisle) with round headed windows.
Early English
The Early English style of architecture can be seen in the westward extension of the nave, (1195 -1214), using pointed arches, built in Tottenhoe stone, supported on piers much less massive that Paul of Caen's structure, enabling wider openings between the piers, and more window openings with the first appearance of small scale sculpture.
The presbytery was rebuilt during the second half of the 13th Century, with vaulting begun in stone but completed in timber. The east window of the presbytery shows the fully developed "geometrical" tracery - where the entire pattern can be drawn with a compass. The ambulatory and retro choir still have much of their original windows in this style. Inside, the retro choir was never vaulted but this was intended. Although the ambulatory aisles still retain their 13th century vaults.
The "Decorated" period
The "Decorated" period is gloriously illustrated in our Lady Chapel, finished in 1327, preceded by the Shrine base structure finished in 1308. This is built entirely in Purbeck "marble". The niches of the shrine and the spandrels above have crocketted gables, all with carved foliage, with figures and angels and the martyrdom of Alban at the end panels. In the niches are traces of original colour. Some remaining colour is also seen in the window reveals of the Lady Chapel, where the stonework of the tracery is largely original, including small canopied niches with figures.
The "Perpendicular"style
The nave screen, c1360's has richly decorated crocketted gables contrasting with severely plain tracened panels. Then the "Abbotts door" to the (now destroyed cloisters) of 1396 with stone screen and surviving wood door, and what were once the great west doors of early 1400's. The Chantry chapels are all of this period - Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester c1440 with large fan vaults; The Wallingford chantry of 1480's with simple vault springing from each end and contemporary iron screen - and the great presbytery screen. And finally the Ramrydge Chantry chapel of the 1520's with marvellous miniature fan vaults.
A wonderful mixture of architectural styles surviving into the 21st century; a tribute to the great medieval builders.