A pint after the cathedral in St Albans, together with my favourite saint.
What’s your favourite saint to bring to the pub for a glass?
St Bridget, or Birgitta of Sweden, lived in the 1300s. This icon reminds us that she was a pilgrim throughout her life, and that Christian life itself is a pilgrimage.
I am visiting St Albans Cathedral, a place where Christians have worshipped for around 1,700 years, longer than anywhere else known in Britain.
The cathedral is built around the story of St Alban, regarded as Britain’s first Christian martyr, and the building carries centuries of English history in its walls. Medieval architecture, later restoration, carved woodwork, painted ceilings, monuments and religious art all sit together in the same space.
My photographs capture some of those layers. Outside, the mix of flint, brick and stone shows how the cathedral has developed over different periods. Inside, the High Altar Screen from 1484 dominates the space with its Gothic detail and figures, while smaller details such as the statue of St Stephen bring the history down to a more personal scale.
