All Saints Pastoral centre
Encyclopedia
All Saints Pastoral Centre is a conference and retreat centre on the southern outskirts of St Albans
, Hertfordshire
, England.
The All Saints building was designed by Leonard Stokes
in 1899 and built in 1901, originally as a convent for the All Saints sisters. The building was acquired by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Westminster in 1973 and converted to its present use.
and Radlett
Mainline station, both close by.
. The first half was completed in 1927. Due to demands for space it was expanded by Ninian's son Sebastian in 1963. In the west end of the Chapel below the Rose window is a Harrison & Harrison
organ.
From the roof of the Comper Chapel, accessed via the bell tower, a panorama stretching from Radlett
around to St Albans is visible. From the roof the join between the more recent Sebastian and original Ninian chapels can been seen with the use of a cross brace
securing the North and South walls.
St Albans
St Albans is a city in southern Hertfordshire, England, around north of central London, which forms the main urban area of the City and District of St Albans. It is a historic market town, and is now a sought-after dormitory town within the London commuter belt...
, Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
, England.
The All Saints building was designed by Leonard Stokes
Leonard Stokes
Leonard Aloysius Scott Stokes was an English architect.Leonard Stokes was born in Southport in 1858. He trained in London and travelled in Germany and Italy. Most of his designs were for Roman Catholic buildings, including churches, convents and schools. His first outstanding work was the...
in 1899 and built in 1901, originally as a convent for the All Saints sisters. The building was acquired by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Westminster in 1973 and converted to its present use.
Design
The main structure built around a garden and has an inner cloister leading to the meeting rooms. The building has adapted to modern requirements but has retained its original beauty. The centre today caters to both residential and non-residential conferences, meetings and retreats mainly from the religious sector, and has good transport access to the diocese via the M25 motorwayM25 motorway
The M25 motorway, or London Orbital, is a orbital motorway that almost encircles Greater London, England, in the United Kingdom. The motorway was first mooted early in the 20th century. A few sections, based on the now abandoned London Ringways plan, were constructed in the early 1970s and it ...
and Radlett
Radlett
Radlett is a small town in the county of Hertfordshire between St Albans and Borehamwood on Watling Street with a population of approximately 8,000. It is located in the council district of Hertsmere and is covered by two wards, Aldenham East and Aldenham West...
Mainline station, both close by.
The Comper Chapel
Attached to All Saints is an example of design by architect Ninian ComperNinian Comper
Sir John Ninian Comper was a Scottish-born architect. He was one of the last of the great Gothic Revival architects, noted for his churches and their furnishings...
. The first half was completed in 1927. Due to demands for space it was expanded by Ninian's son Sebastian in 1963. In the west end of the Chapel below the Rose window is a Harrison & Harrison
Harrison & Harrison
Harrison & Harrison Ltd are a British company that make and restore pipe organs, based in Durham and established in 1861. They are well known for their work on instruments such as King's College Cambridge, Westminster Abbey and the Royal Festival Hall....
organ.
From the roof of the Comper Chapel, accessed via the bell tower, a panorama stretching from Radlett
Radlett
Radlett is a small town in the county of Hertfordshire between St Albans and Borehamwood on Watling Street with a population of approximately 8,000. It is located in the council district of Hertsmere and is covered by two wards, Aldenham East and Aldenham West...
around to St Albans is visible. From the roof the join between the more recent Sebastian and original Ninian chapels can been seen with the use of a cross brace
Cross brace
Cross brace is the cross-beam connecting between arches meant to add rigidity to construction of mining tunnels, more often tubular round diameter , on the ends with clips or apertures for screw fastening; serves as an element stiffening and stability of a design...
securing the North and South walls.