England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
St Albans St Stephen

The Parish

St Albans lies in southern Hertfordshire & St Stephen's parish covers not only the southern and southwestern quadrant of the city but extends to incorporate a substantial area of the rural area to St Albans' southwest. St Albans was granted city status during Victorian times with the Abbey church being raised to cathedral status. Prior to this elevation St Albans was a large market town situated about 20 miles northwest of the city of London. St Albans sits where the A5183 heading northwards from the edge of Metropolitan London crosses the River Ver, several other main A roads also arrive at the city from Hatfield, Hemel Hempstead & Luton. St Albans has a long history being the site of the Roman settlement of Verulamium, situated just across the Ver from the Abbey church. The city was founded on its present site by King Offa to mark the martyrdom of its saint, Alban, allegedly in the 8th century. Over the centuries St Albans grew upon its market status attracting several industries such as candle wick manufacture, silk weaving and, in particular, straw plaiting for hat making. Modern St Albans sits in a web of modern communications, the M25 motorway runs about 3 miles to its south whilst the M1 lies a similar distance to the west. The city also has two rail routes into the centre of London. These communication networks have made St Albans a growth point for light industry & high-tech services leading to spectacular recent growth, these industries are added to by proximity of the capital making St Albans a notable commuter settlement, too. The Ver drains the parish soon joining the Colne and ultimately the Thames at Staines, from there it heads eastwards to reach the North Sea through the Thames Estuary. St Albans is sited at around 100 metres above the sea with local heights reaching to 130 metres in gently undulating countryside. St Albans St Stephen's parish was rather extensive for a largely rural southern parish, covering over 7,300 acres, and would have supported a population of around 1,900 parishioners. In Domesday times St Albans was also a substantial settlement large enough to place it amongst the top 20% by population, held by the Abbey its assets were substantial too, 18 ploughs were backed up by the usual meadows & woodlands and more wealthy assets included 3 mills and a fishery.

The Church

St Stephen's church sits towards the southwestern edges of the city a few hundred yards south of the Abbey and sitting where the ancient Roman Route of Watling Street meets the Watford Road. St Stephen is an ancient church with its western and northern walls predating the Norman Conquest. The church has a foundation date of 948 and that Anglo-Saxon work remaining is probably 10th century too. Such is the church's ancient credentials that Roman brickwork is used in its construction. The expansion of the early church began on the 12th century, a northern aisle was added but lasted only to the 15th century, it did, however, leave scars of its passing. Further work in the 13th century when a southern chapel was added in Early English Gothic style revealed that the masonry of the chancel, too, was Norman Romanesque in style from the 12th century. Western bays were added piecemeal during the 13th and 14th centuries mixing the earlier styles with the Decorated whilst the 15th century, an Perpendicular in style, saw the western door and clerestory added together with further timber add ons. The major Victorian restoration of 1861 saw the current splay-foot spire replace a timber bell-turret as part of a more general restoration. Late 20th century work in 1991 added the parish centre to complete today's church. Parking in the immediate area is tricky due ti the busy roads passing by so best visited after utilising one of the many city's car parks. Unfortunately for the photographer the churchyard is beset by trees making some familiar aspects unusable and requiring a few attempts to gain a clear view.