St Albans (a city named after a Hertfordshire saint)

St Alban’s is a beautiful small city, with its own patron saint, who lived around 305 AD. A former pagan, a priest who he sheltered made such an impression, he converted himself.

He is recorded as the first-ever Christian martyr (killed for his faith) and is apparently the patron saint of converts and torture victims. His prayer is often still said today:

I worship and adore the true and living God, who created all things’.

There is a story that St Alban’s execution was delayed, as the fast-flowing river that he could not cross dried up, allowing him to escape. When he was eventually beheaded, his head rolled down a hill and a spring immediately created fresh water.

The executioners were so surprised, they began to revere him as a saint, and the well still stands today at Holywell Hill. How can any reality TV compete with that?

St Albans is recognised as a saint in Catholic, Orthodox and Anglican churches.

St Albans cathedral was built near the site of his execution and houses his shrine. The city is 25 miles from London and houses a 100-acre park in the city centre, which houses ornamental lakes and ancient Roman ruins.

The city also has one of the world’s oldest schools: St Albans School was founded in AD948 (one former student was physicist Stephen Hawking).