This is a developing post. Here is my present take but I hope to revise it in the future.
Facilities for visitors in our Norman Abbey of St Albans soon developed due to Royal patronage, the need to accommodate pilgrims to the shrine of the Proto Martyr, St.Alban, and as the first one day stopping point north of London. We also gained a good reputation for our hospitality and all this added to our popularity. The dilemma became : where should charity and hospitality part? More visitors led to increased financial burdens, administrative headaches, and noisy disruptions to the daily liturgy. Hospitality was a central part of Benedictine life at our Abbey. The ability to travel and be a guest here was dependent on social status. Those who were not freemen would have to seek permission from their lord to make a visit. Travelling on foot was very slow and arduous. The more wealthy would travel by horse and might have servants. The reasons for visiting centred on pilgrimage. It might be as an act of contrition to make up for sins ; to give special thanks for a happy event ; to ask for healing of some ailment ; to appeal for help for someone or just to experience the sight of the great abbey and its shrine.
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| Site of the Guest Houses and Abbot's Lodging |
We believe provision for guests was made by the Norman abbots with the rebuilding of the Abbey. The interest shown by the Royal family led Abbot Geoffrey de Gorham (1119-46) to build a large noble hall for the most important guests It had a double roof and a chamber for the Queen alongside. This was highly unusual. Possibly King Stephen and later King Henry II stayed in this Hall. The Queen’s Chamber could have been for Queen Adelaide or Queen Matilda. Later on other monasteries had quarters for a Queen. Ely had a notable example by 1250.
Abbot John de Hertford (1235-63) rebuilt Geoffrey’s Hall on the same site, as it had become unfit for purpose. This rebuild has been described as a palace (palatium) with its two storeys, adjoining bedrooms, chapel, fireplaces, chimneys, antechamber and vestibule. It had an undercroft and a lead roof There were superb internal paintings by Brother Richard. The exact site and orientation of this 'palace' is not certain. On the painting it is shown west to east at 90 degrees to the other Guest House blocks. It may have been north south and situated at the southern end of the these blocks. Insufficient excavation prevents a clear picture of its exact position. I will be looking at examples of other halls built at the same time to try to get a better idea of what it may have looked like. I know from having spoken to Joan Freeman that she based the monastic buildings in her painting (see above) on examples in other monasteries, and not solely on archaeological evidence - because there isn't enough!
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| Site of the Guest Houses |
Abbot John de Hertford (1235-63) also built a new major Guest House for the nobler guests on the east side of the Great Court. Little is known about this major Guest House, usually referred to as the South Guest House. It is where most guests who arrived by horse would have slept and been fed.
In the second half of the 14th century Thomas de la Mare had a North Guest House erected between the South Guest House and the south wall of the Church. It is not known whether there had been a building here before. This was presumably built to supplement the space offered in the South Guest House.
Interestingly Mayor Robert Shrimpton is said to remember (in the 16th century)"in the Abbey "there was a large Roome having Beds, set on either side for the receipt of Strangers and Pilgrims where they had Lodging and Diet for three days without question whence they came or whether they went, but after that time they stayed not without rendring an Account of both,"
Where this Roome was is unclear and its availability to all and sundry is also surprising.
The Abbot’s lodging was also used for receiving important guests. It was Abbot Roger de Gorham who first built separate quarters attached to the southwest corner of the nave. It was renovated by Roger de Norton and John Moot and finally rebuilt by Thomas de la Mare.(1346-1396). John Moot (1396-1401) also built a necessarium (toilet)south of the lodging. I believe this was for the Abbot's lodging and there would have been separate toilets for the 'palatium' and Guest Houses described above.
The above summary is the conclusion from the incomplete 1889 archaeological evidence. In 1976 an aerial photo suggests the two Guest Houses in line at 90 degrees to the southwest end of the church as on the painting and another building set back which could be the rebuilt 'palatium'. The orientation of the latter is unclear. During the Pandemic I often walked in the Orchard and several times stumbled over what seemed to be remains of the Guest House walls. Let's hope for another dig one day.
There was also a “Black Hostelry” for visiting Benedictines and a hospice for friars. The latter was built just before 1247. It surprises me because there was no mendicant presence (Franciscan or Dominican) at St Albans and it seems that the Abbey made sure of this – perhaps by giving them hospice space? The Black Hostelry was in a three sided cloister with small garden built by Abbot William (1214-35). The exact location is unknown.
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| Site of the south side building on the Great Court |
Abbot John de Hertford (1235-63) also built a long two storeyed stone building on the south side of the Great Court opposite the earlier Great Gate which I suggest could have been used by the servants of the main guests or by the lay brothers of the Abbey or a limited number of the poor. There is no archaeological evidence except for “some traces of old foundations” on Newcome’s sketch 1793 plan. It probably joined onto the Water Gate and could have been on the site of the present Monastery Close.
Stables
These were along the west wall of the Great Court and according to Matthew Paris in 1252 could hold 300 horses.The Great Court must have been a very busy place! .
Accommodation outside the Abbey
Guests seeking accommodation would have been received somewhere inside the Great Court, most probably by the Porter. and screened according to their requirements, status and what was available in the Abbey at that time. Pilgrims or persons on foot would likely not be accepted. The almonry situated by the Great Gateway might have provided for some casual meals for those in need and might also have played a part in the reception of guests. In some monasteries elsewhere there was some provision every day for poorer people or pilgrims. This may have occurred here too but most pilgrims were referred to a nearby hostel or inns outside the precinct. The earliest of these may have offered free accommodation to pilgrims but it would likely have been in a hall sleeping together. The better inns would likely have required payment and I expect this got more expensive over the centuries up to the Dissolution.
These hostels were along the present George Street (then called Church Street) leading up to the Market Cross and later on developed down Holywell Hill, Some of these may have been founded by the Abbey or have financial links with them. We cannot prove that the Abbey actually caused any of them to be built.
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| Abbot John's hostel today. Original front would include toilet block on left and The Bride shop |
Abbot John de Hertford (1235-63)seems to have acquired a house on the corner of Spicer Street and George Street ffor use as a guest house. It became known as the Tabard in 1545.Pilgrims may have been able to stay here free for a day and a night. It is the earliest recorded Inn in St Albans. Later it became known as the Antelope.
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| The Tabard/Antelope |
Unfortunately most of it was demolished in the 19th century. There is a rear view showing a gallery of 14th/15th century date. Some local residents will remember it in the late 20th century as a shop called the Tabard. Today it is a Wedding shop. At the rear of the shop is a tiny yard with what appears to be the remains of a well. With vivid imagination it may be possible to think of the original layout of the yard ...see belo
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| Tabard/Antelope rear today |
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| Tabard/Antelope rear today |
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| Remnant of well behind Tabard/Antelope? |
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| The George today |
At the top of George Street in 1446 the George (then called the George upon the Hupe) belonged to Sopwell Nunnery. It was leased to John Duke of Exeter for 6 shillings a year. In 1484 a licence was granted by the Abbot to allow Low Mass to be celebrated there for the “benefit of such great men and nobles and others as should be lodged at the inn”.
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| Thai Tavern (Tudor Tavern/ Swan) |
The present Thai Tavern (which I remember fondly as the Tudor Tavern and known in the 15th century as the Swan)) also belonged to Sopwell Nunnery.in the 1440s. The oldest part overhanging the street dates from about 1400 and there is an original style window upstairs.
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| The original style window |
The Lyon, next to the Market Cross also belonged to Sopwell in the 1440s and was rebuilt by Abbot Wolsey and Professor James Clark reckons it was used by Wolsey’s visitors as well as wealthy pilgrims and visitors. Another Inn called the Pecock paid its rent in 1506 to St Julian’s Hospital (on the site of my church : St Battholomew!)see earlier post..
Finally the White Hart Hotel was probably a guest house for the nearby Abbey. In 1535 it was known as the Hartshorn and was being leased by the Abbot of St Albans to John and Elizabeth Broke (or Brooke).
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| The White Hart today |
The Abbey could not deal with all guests so it was logical that it would seek to facilitate pilgrims and travellers outside the precinct. Helping such facilities to start and develop could brought income. Sopwell seems to have discovered that and it is possible that the Abbey did not also do so.
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