Heritage Open Days at St Albans Cathedral
See St Albans Cathedral in a Whole New Light
On the evening of Friday 9th September, 40 lucky visitors to St Albans Cathedral are being given the chance to explore the building by candlelight during an atmospheric Abbey by Night tour.
These special tours have been organised for Heritage Open Days 2011. As darkness descends, visitors will be guided around the candlelit venue by Cathedral Guides dressed as monks who will bring to life the building’s remarkable history and highlights. The tour encounters Walter of Colchester along the way who painted the rare medieval wall paintings and visitors may even meet an Abbot!
Canon Kevin Walton said, ‘We wanted to do something different this year for Heritage Open Days. The Abbey by Night tour gives people a real sense of how the building would have been in medieval times and the atmosphere is truly unique. We have a busy programme for both children and adults during Heritage Open Days and look forward to welcoming everyone.’
There are two Abbey by Night tours, at 20.00 and 20.30. The tours are free and there are 20 places on each tour. Admittance to the tour is by ticket only. Tickets are now available from the Information Desk - restrictions apply.
The tours form part of a full programme for Heritage Open Days. On Saturday and Sunday, families are invited to follow a fun Family Trail to track down clues and find out who’s been ringing the Cathedral bells in the middle of the night! There are also Tower Tours over the weekend (limited tickets available from the Cathedral Bookshop on the day of the tour), and specialist tours for visitors to learn more about the building’s architecture and rare medieval wall paintings.
The full programme for Heritage Open Days is as follows:
Thursday 8th September
General Tours of the Cathedral - 11.30 & 14.30
Highlights Tour - 13.05
Friday 9th September
General Tours of the Cathedral - 11.30 & 14.30
Highlights Tour - 13.05
Abbey by Night Tours - 20.00 & 20.30
See the Cathedral in a whole new light as you take an atmospheric tour by candlelight of this amazing building. Maximum 20 people per tour. Tickets are FREE and are available from the Information Desk now, on a first come first served basis. Restrictions apply.
Saturday 10th September
General Tours of the Cathedral - 11.30 & 14.00
Highlights Tour - 13.05
Tower Tours - 10.00, 11.30, 13.00 & 14.30
Tickets will be available on the day of the tour, on a first come first served basis. Minimum age 11. Restrictions apply.
Explore the Exterior Tour - 14.30
Learn about the complex architecture of this ancient building and how it has changed over the centuries.
Fun Family Trail - available from 11.00 to 15.00
Someone has been ringing the Cathedral bells in the middle of the night – can you follow the clues around the Cathedral and find out who? Great fun for all the family.
Sunday 11th September
General Tour of the Cathedral - 14.30
Highlights Tour - 13.05
Tower Tours - 13.30, 14.45 & 16.00 See Saturday for details.
Discover the Medieval Wall Paintings - 15.00
St Albans Cathedral retains some of the finest examples of medieval wall paintings surviving in Britain today.
Learn how and when they were painted and the significance of what they show us.
Fun Family Trail - available from 13.00 to 16.00 See Saturday for details.