St. Albans Walk Tour - 4K - Market Day in St. Albans - July 2024

Wandering around the city of St. Albans on 'Market Day', on a warm summer Saturday afternoon in July.

We start our walk in front of the majestic front doors of the ancient and beautiful St. Albans Cathedral. St. Albans Cathedral. The cathedral we see today was built first by the Normans in the 11th century on the site of an even older Saxon monastery, placed originally on the site of the martyring (and grave site) of St. Alban, the first British Christian Saint after which the town is now named. The Cathedral itself was initially built using Roman red bricks salvaged from the ruins of the nearby ancient Roman city of Verulamium. These Roman bricks can still be seen today in main central structures of the cathedral, most notably it's main tower. The cathedral was later expanded in the following centuries, and today is a grand and awe inspiring structure that is truly magnificent.

After circling around the Cathedral of St. Alban, we head up through an alleyway in to the main central area of downtown St. Albans where the weekly market is held. St. Albans has hosted markets throughout its long history going back to it's Roman days, and the tradition continues on strong to this day. The city holds markets twice a week, and sellers and shoppers alike come from far around to shop and eat and meet and mingle. Filled with delicious smells and delightful sights, the markets are generally full of a buzz of activity, and this Saturday was no exception.

After walking through the market, we then head into and through the churchyard of the Church of St. Peter, one of the many ancient and beautiful churches in the local area still serving the faithful to this day. As we walk around the church and through the quiet wooded graveyard, we pass the graves and final resting places of locals buried there going back hundreds of years.

From there we head back into the main town area following St. Peters Street, past shops and businesses before re-joining the market once again. Upon reaching the end of the market we head through the alleyway once again and back to the other side of St. Albans Cathedral, walking this time through it's ancient graveyard. As we pass the tower of St. Albans Cathedral, the ancient red roman bricks can be clearly seen.

Leaving the Cathedral once again, we then head down Romeland Hill and enter into Fishpool Street. Fishpool Street is a filled with a fantastic collection of old beautiful townhouses, many of which are centuries old. As you walk along its winding length, it is easy to imagine the town as it once was, before the advent of the modern era and its many cars.

As we reach the end of Fishpool Street, the road bends and crosses by bridge the River Ver. It is this river after which the Roman city was named, and the waters still flow through the town and beyond to this day. After the bridge we head up St. Michaels Street, again with a fantastic collection of old-style townhouses, and past a 16th century 'Freehouse' pub by the name of the 'Six Bells'. From there we leave the road and head into and around the churchyard of St. Michaels Church, another ancient and picturesque church in the local area with an ancient history.

Next we head into the grand green space of Verulamium Park, passing first the Verulamium Museum, a fantastic building with an amazing collection of local Roman artifacts, built in the style of the original Roman buildings of Verulamium. From there we head into the park, and around the edge of its large lake and along the bank of the River Ver. The lake is loved by locals year round, and is filled with a variety of geese and swans and other water birds that make it there home. The park itself contains several important Roman remains, such as the ruins of the ancient Roman city wall, and a large floor mosaic. Worth finding if you are ever in the area!

Once reaching the end of the lake we then turn and cross the River Ver one final time, and head then head up Abbey Mill Lane towards the finale of our walk, 'The Great Gateway of the Monastery' of St. Albans.


Where: St. Albans, England
When: End of July, 2024
Filmed in: 4K, 60fps

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