Thursday 30 May 2013

St Albans launches Magna Carta 800th Anniversary with Summer Festival in August

Source - news release from St Albans City & District Council

This summer, St Albans commemorates the 800th anniversary of its unique place in the history of the Magna Carta, the historic charter setting out fundamental human rights. The Magna Carta continues to underpin legal systems across the world.

To mark the occasion, a series of events is planned over the weekend of Friday 2 to Sunday 4 August as part of the St Albans Magna Carta Festival. The Festival is being launched today with the ceremonial opening of ‘Magna Carta 1213: the Journey Starts Here’, an exhibition at the Museum of St Albans.

The ‘Magna Carta 1213: the Journey Starts Here’ exhibition runs from Saturday 1 June to Saturday 15 September. St Albans was the location, in August 1213, of the first meeting to discuss severe grievances against King John. This historic meeting between the barons and the clergy, led ultimately to the articles that became Magna Carta, sealed at Runnymede two years later in 1215. The exhibition includes fascinating and thought provoking displays challenging injustices throughout history. 

This summer, for the first time ever in St Albans, there will be a chance to see an original copy of the Magna Carta on display. The historic document will be on show in a special climate controlled environment at St Albans Cathedral from Saturday 3 to Thursday 29 August. Buy tickets online here.

Also at the Cathedral, from 7pm  to 8pm on Friday 2 August, Vernon Bogdanor, Professor of Government at Kings College, London, will present a keynote speech on The New British Constitution. This is followed at 7.30pm on Saturday 4 August by a concert from the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and St Albans Chamber Choir. The special programme is inspired by the themes and spirit of the Magna Carta.

The Magna Carta Medieval Festival will be held in Verulamium Park on the weekend of 3 and 4 August. The festival features a historical encampment and reenactment of the conflict between the king, the barons and the church. There will be equestrian, combat and archery displays and exciting and fun activities for all the family. Also on display will be “the Manga Carta”, a unique artistic interpretation of the charter, inspired by Japanese Manga comic art.

The weekend commemorations will conclude with an Evensong Service in the Cathedral with the choir of St Paul’s Episcopal Church, Rochester, New York at 6.30pm on Sunday evening. The sermon will be given by the Reverend Professor Diarmaid MacCulloch, an authority on the medieval church.

The Revd Dr Kevin Walton, Canon Chancellor at St Albans Cathedral said: "St Albans Cathedral is delighted to be working with St Albans City and District Council to start the commemoration of the 800th anniversary of the Magna Carta. St Albans Abbey in 1213 was the place where the Magna Carta's journey began and it is fitting that we can play an important part in the national celebrations."

Sir Robert Worcester, Chairman of the Magna Carta 800th Anniversary Commemorative Committee said: “The meeting between Stephen Langton, Archbishop of Canterbury and fellow clergy with the barons at St Albans in 1213 was critical in the development of the Magna Carta and so on the impact it has had to the history of the UK and indeed around the world. 

“The Magna Carta 800th Committee is working closely with the Council and other stakeholders in putting together the exciting series of events planned in St Albans and drawing many tourists through the summer. There is a lot to look forward to and I know the people of St Albans are coming together to provide a fitting opening event in the run up to the 800th Anniversary of the sealing of the Magna Carta in 2015.


St Albans Magna Carta Festival – Full Details of Activities:

Magna Carta 1213: The Journey Starts Here Exhibition


An exhibition inspired by the values set out by churchmen and barons at the 1213 meeting in St Albans. These values are brought up to date through a series of thought provoking displays highlighting gestures which challenge injustices through time. Visitors will have the opportunity to share their views in the exhibition. Museum of St Albans, Hatfield Road, St Albans. AL1 3RR.  1st June to 15th September.  Monday to Saturday 10.00am to 5.00pm, Sunday 2.00pm to 5.00pm. Admission Free

The Magna Carta Lecture - The New British Constitution

A lecture by Professor Vernon Bogdanor, Professor of Government, Institute for Contemporary British History, King’s College, London. Magna Carta began as a baronial charter of privileges, but came to be transformed into a declaration of the rights of the citizen. It was the nearest we had to a written constitution. But the constitutional reforms since 1997, together with Britain’s membership of the European Union, have given us a new constitution. The main elements of this new constitution are the Human Rights Act and devolution. The essence of our new constitution is a limitation of the powers of Parliament. The Human Rights Act and the devolution legislation have something of the character of fundamental law. They in practice limit the rights of Westminster as a sovereign parliament. The central principle of the old constitution was the sovereignty of Parliament. The central principle of the new one is the separation of powers. Britain, in consequence, is less of an elective dictatorship than it was before 1997. But this new constitution has done little to secure more popular involvement in politics. That is why it has made so little impact on popular opinion. How can this deficiency be remedied? Friday 2nd August, 7 to 8pm. Tickets: £10 (includes a glass of wine and viewing of the 1215 Magna Carta on loan from Lincoln Cathedral)

The Magna Carta in St Albans

A rare opportunity to see an original 1215 Magna Carta, on loan from Lincoln Cathedral. Includes a special exhibition explaining the importance of St Albans Abbey in the Magna Carta story.  St Albans Cathedral, AL1 1BY Saturday 3rd to 29th August. Opening Times: Viewing times vary from day to day. See website for advance ticket availability.  Tickets: Advance Booking Adults £3.00; Concs £2.00; On the door: Adults £4.00; Concs £3.00; U16 free when accompanied by an adult. Tickets available online from www.allaboutstalbans.com. For more information telephone 01727 864511

Magna Carta Concert

The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra with St Albans Chamber Choir present a programme inspired by the themes and spirit of the Magna Carta to celebrate the 800th anniversary of St Albans’ link with one of the cornerstones of freedom and democracy. St Albans Cathedral, Saturday 3rd August, 7.30pm Tickets: £27.50 (U16 £10); £22.50 (U16 £7.50); £18 (U16 £5); £10 (U16 £2). Tickets available from the Alban Arena Box Office 01727 844488 or online www.alban-arena.co.uk (Subject to booking fee)

For the rest of the programme and more information telephone 01727 864511 or visit www.enjoystalbans.com

Thursday 9 May 2013

Be inspired at Museum of St Albans art workshop

Source: News Release from St Albans Council

Create your own artwork using domestic objects as inspiration at an art workshop hosted by the Museum of St Albans on Saturday 11 May.

Domestic objects in the museum’s social history collection will be on display to help inspire you during the workshop which runs from 10:30am to 4pm. You will be able to select your own art medium and choose to work either individually or collectively as a group. Artworks created in the workshop will then go on display at the museum until the end of June.

The workshop is inspired by the ArtHouse exhibition that is on show in the UH Galleries at the Museum of St Albans from 3 May to 30 June 2013.

Artists often feature domestic objects in their art, including Tracey Emin and Yoko Ono who both have artworks in the exhibition. Other artists in the exhibition share a similar fascination in the use and manipulation of everyday motifs and domestic objects to create narratives or highlight issues.

Councillor Mike Wakely, Portfolio Holder for Sports, Leisure and Heritage for St Albans City and District Council, said: “This workshop is a great opportunity to learn more about how artists are inspired by everyday objects and to have a go at creating your own artwork. If you can’t make the workshop, come along to the ArtHouse exhibition where you will see Tracey Emin’s bed spreadsheet and Yoko Ono’s chess set painted white.”

Spaces on the workshop are limited so please book early to avoid disappointment. The workshop is £15 for the whole day, and includes basic materials. Equipment will also be provided.

For further information and to book a place on the workshop, call 01727-819340. Information about ArtHouse is available at www.stalbansmuseums.org.uk.