Saint Albans

Hertfortdshire's oldest town. It is named for Roman soldier martyred here ca. 304. An abbey was founded on the alleged site of his martyrdom and a town grew up around the abbey. Offa of Mercia founded a Saxon abbey church ca. 793 on the site of the earlier church, and St. Albans Church (designated a cathedral in 1877) was built, using Roman bricks from the ruins of Verulamium, in 1077 on the site of Offa's church. A famous school of history developed here. The first draft of the Magna Carta was read here in 1213. Lancastrians defeated in War of the Roses in 1455. Saint Albans was the headquarters of the Parliamentary army of the earl of Essex in the 17th century. The main industry of the town has been printing; one of the first presses was set up here and the first instance of color printing in England came out of Saint Albans. Electrical engineering and the manufacture of musical instruments are other local modern industries. The population, as of 1991, was 80,376. The town of Saint Albans is part of a district of the same name.