WITH A POPULATION OF AROUND 1,000,000, HERTFORD,STEVENAGE, WELWYN AND ST ALBANS ARE THE PRINCIPALTOWNS WITH THE LATTER PREVIOUSLY KNOWN AS THEROMAN CITY OF VERULAMIUM, THE SECOND BIGGEST TOWNIN ROMAN BRITAIN AFTER LONDINIUM.THE MAJOR ATTRACTIONS IN HERTFORDSHIRE AREHATFIELD HOUSE HATFIELD, ST ALBANS CATHEDRAL,HERTFORD MUSEUM, BERKHAMSTED CASTLE, SHAWS CORNER A NATIONAL TRUST PROPERTY.ST ALBANS CATHEDRALW HTTP / / WWW.STALBANSCATHEDRAL.ORG.UK THE CATHEDRAL IS BUILT ON WHAT IS BELIEVED TO BETHE SITE OF THE MARTYRDOM OF ST ALBAN. THE HILLUPON WHICH IT STANDS OVERLOOKS THE VALLEY OF THERIVER VER, BEYOND WHICH LIE THE BURIED RUINS OFTHE ROMAN CITY OF VERULAMIUM. THE SHRINE OF STALBAN IS DOCUMENTED FROM EARLY TIMES, AND IT ISRECORDED THAT ST GERMANUS OF AUXERRE VISITED THESITE IN 429. EARLY IN THE 8TH CENTURY, BEDE WROTEOF THE BEAUTIFUL CHURCH WORTHY OF ALL ALBANSMARTYRDOM WHERE MIRACLES OF HEALING TOOK PLACE.THE MONASTIC STRUCTURE OF THIS CHURCH WASRE ORDERED BY KING OFFA OF MERCIA IN 793 AND ANEW ORDER AND DISCIPLINE INTRODUCED BY ST OSWALDIN THE 960S. THE AVAILABILITY OF HUGE AMOUNTS OFBUILDING MATERIAL FROM THE RUINS OF NEARBY ROMANVERULAMIUM WAS PUT TO GOOD USE IN THE NORMAN ERA,FROM WHICH TIME MANY OF THE FEATURES OF THEBUILDING DATE.