Abbey Gateway (St. Albans)
The Abbey Gateway is a massive gateway in the historic cathedral city of St. Albans, close to St. Albans Abbey.
Built of Roman tiles and flint, it was the gateway to the monastery, and is sometimes known as the Great Gateway.
The gateway was built around 1360, while Thomas de la Mare was Abbot.
It was besieged in 1381 during the Peasants' Revolt, one of whose leaders, the radical priest John Ball, came from St. Albans.
The building served as a prison from 1553 to 1869, and at one time was even used as a printer's workshop.
Since 1871 it has been part of St. Albans School, one of whose old boys is Tim Rice.
Among the scholars at St. Albans Abbey was the mediaeval chronicler Matthew Paris.
Nicholas Breakspear, son of a monk at St. Albans Abbey, was not allowed to become a monk there, as it was felt that he was simply not good enough. He later, as Adrian IV, became the only English Pope.