Events
Throughout the year, we offer a range of events for members and non-members. These include regular speaker evenings covering topical interests – for example we have included subjects varying from preserving the green belt to youth interests in St. Albans. The full diary of events is usually published in the Autumn.
There is an Annual General Meeting (usually held in June) when all members are invited to give their views on past and future happenings in our city.
Perhaps the highlight of the year is our Awards Evening in October where we celebrate best practice in current architecture and design – for both buildings and our green spaces.
Additionally, we participate in the St Albans Residents First Weekend and Heritage Open Days, and arrange visits to other interesting and historic towns.
Upcoming Events
This year’s awards presentation has been brought forward into the summer. The atmosphere will be informal, with table seating, drinks and canapés.
We hope it will appeal to even more members. Come along and celebrate!
Nearest parking in St Michael’s car park (Verulamium Museum).
Past Events
City of St Albans Tour Guides have offered a guided walk specifically to celebrate Conservation 50. This will take in the modern Civic Area, the medieval core of the City Centre Conservation Area and its Georgian, Victorian and recent development. It will also concentrate on the history of conservation itself from its beginnings in the mid 20th century and the people who promoted it to the present day and what we are trying to do now. We are confident that this walk will be highly informative but perhaps also provocative when we consider the future role of conservation.
The first such walk will be on Sunday 7 July starting at 2.30 pm and is limited to the first 20 people to register. If there is greater demand it may be repeated on 14 July. The cost will be £6 per head.
For tickets click here
To mark and celebrate the 50th Anniversary of St Albans first Conservation Area, St Albans Civic Society in conjunction with the Abbey Precincts Residents Association and the Aboyne Residents Association have formed Conservation 50 and organised a series events for the community. These include a conference at Dagnall Street Baptist Church on Saturday July 6th (2.00 – 5.00 pm): chaired by BBC journalist, Julian Worricker, with a range of speakers:
- Emily Gee, South East Regional Director of Historic England;
- Ian Harvey, Executive Director of Civic Voice;
- Cllr Mary Maynard, St Albans City and District Council;
- Tim Boatswain, Chairman of St Albans Civic Society;
The conference will look at Conservation Areas in general as well as examining their current state and what they mean for residents of St Albans. Please come along, no pre-booking required, admission free.
View the Conservation 50 video here
For more details of all the events organised by Conservation 50 click here.
The event is free for Society members, but must be pre-booked, please contact Katherine Booth
kemb1@hotmail.com tel: 07711 946829
Travel via St Pancras taking the Javelin High Speed Train. Faversham is a market town famous for its brewing. It is the home of Shepherd Neame, Britain’s oldest brewery. Visit the Fleur de Lis Heritage Centre established by the Faversham Society. Whitstable has both a beach and harbour. It is famed for its oysters. The town’s shops have a vintage appeal.
Visit to Faversham & Whitstable booking form
Booking up fast so please return the form asap if you want to attend
In 1969 St Albans was one of the first local authorities to designate a Conservation Area. This talk will explain what a Conservation Area is and how a series of events, under the title Conservation 50, will celebrate and debate the 50th anniversary of Conservation Areas in St Albans. Tim Boatswain presents the final monthly talk running up to the 6th July events.
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This lecture will explore in detail four different contemporary buildings that each sit within a historic setting; from their conceptual inception through to practical completion. It will look into the different approaches taken by the architects and Clients of the four projects and demonstrate how contemporary architecture can sit sympathetically within a historic context.
Simon Knight of local practice Milligan Knight Architects, presents the third in our series of monthly talks running up to a conference in July to mark the 50th anniversary of the St Albans Conservation Area.
The talk will debate building modern architecture in a historic city .It will focus on St Albans but give wider examples. We have to respect our cultural and historic heritage, but we must also create new buildings that will meet the requirements of today and the future .We must hand on a balanced and heritage city to the next generations. The talk will include thoughts on a sustainable future.
Geraint John presents the second in our series of monthly talks running up to a conference in July to mark the 50th anniversary of the St Albans Conservation Area.
Often when we object to a new development we cite ‘loss of, or damage to, character’ or something similar. What is it that contributes to the character of an area? What makes St Albans – St Albans? What gives it a sense of place? This is an attempt to look at some of the things that have contributed to St Albans’ character in the past and raise some questions about what we might want in future developments large or small.
Jill Singer presents the first in our series of monthly talks running up to a conference in July to mark the 50th anniversary of the St Albans Conservation Area.