The Fordham in London Medieval Studies class traveled outside of London to visit the Cathedral and Abbey of St. Alban, an English martyr from around the third century in Roman Britain. Alban was beheaded for sheltering a Christian priest who was being sought out by the Roman authorities. The Cathedral of St. Albans is believed to have been built on the site of his execution, atop a hill overlooking the town.
The surrounding area was once home to many monks who lived in the Abbey; today most of this area is now a public park, and the remaining buildings from the Abbey now house a boys' school. The church itself is a massive building that was built in sections over the years. The class was able to see original medieval paintings that are still in great condition on the Norman arches throughout the church.
However, one of our favorite sights to see was the large tree in front of the church that had a striking resemblance to none other than the Whomping Willow tree from Harry Potter! Being in England makes it very easy to make the best references to Harry Potter (see photo). The Whomping Willow tree look-alike paved the way for the remainder of the day, as St. Albans from afar began to take on the image of Hogwarts with, conveniently, a great lake in front of it!
Helpful English Hint of the Post: If someone in the UK tells you they'll get something done 'in a tick', that's the equivalent of 'in a second' or 'give me a minute'. Nothing to do with biting insects.
*Cheers to Liz Alleva for her contribution of this post.
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