St Albans Abbey, St Albans, Hertfordshire
View of St Albans Abbey from the east, showing the transept, crossing tower, Lady chapel and choir. The earliest parts of the Abbey date from the 11th century, and the Lady chapel dates from the 12th century. Offa, King of Mercia founded a monastery here in 793 which came under Benedictine rule. Both monks and nuns were admitted throughout the 9th and 10th centries, in separate houses. King Edgar reformed it to Benedictine rule in about 970. There were 50 monks at the Abbey in 1190, and about the same number at the Dissolution in 1539. A large school was attached to the Abbey. After the reformation the church was sold to the town and became a cathedral. By 1832 it was becoming ruinous. It was extensively restored in the late 19th century under Sir Gilbert Scott and Lord Grimthorpe. They rebuilt the west end in Victorian style.
