Soon after, the tower was in danger of collapsing, owing to crush in the supporting pillars, and the whole structure had to be shored up previous to underpinning. Finally, the late Lord Grimthorpe undertook the completion of the “restoration,” which was carried out in substantial but drastic style. His most notable work comprised the complete rebuilding of the west front in a peculiar style, the repointing of the tower, and the replacing of its brick turrets by stone “pepper-pots.” [Illustration: Shrine of St Amphibalus, St Albans’ Abbey] The clock-tower in the centre of the city, from which the curfew was rung till the sixties, is another interesting building, as is also the old gateway of the monastery, now used as a grammar school. Near by the city are the ruins of Sopwell nunnery. The city has three parishes, those of the Abbey, St Peter, and St Michael, but it is also extending into the parish of Sandridge. On the further side of the Ver is situated St Stephen’s. St Albans is rapidly increasing as a residential district, and also as a manufacturing centre, a number of industrial establishments from London having been recently set up in its environs. Straw-plait still remains, however, the chief trade, although the actual plaiting of the straw has been killed by foreign competition. A market is held every Saturday. St Albans has a museum, unfortunately not restricted to local antiquities and natural history objects. There are three railway stations, one on the Midland, the second the terminus of a branch line from the North-Western at Watford, and the third that of a branch of the Great Northern from Hatfield. St Peter’s church stands on the site of a Saxon church built in the latter half of the tenth century; this was replaced in less than 200 years by a Norman edifice, remains of which were found during the alterations carried out by the late Lord Grimthorpe. St Michael’s church contains Bacon’s tomb. Two notable battles were fought at St Albans during the Wars of the Roses. In 1455 the Yorkists and in 1461 the Lancastrians were victorious. (pp. 14, 18, 35, 57, 59, 60, 61, 71, 72, 75, 80, 81, 82, 84, 94, 98, 102, 103, 104, 105, 107, 123, 124, 126, 128, 130, 137, 138, 140, 141, 142, 149.) Sawbridgeworth (2085), pronounced Satsworth, is a town on the eastern border of the county, to the south of Bishop’s Stortford, with a station on the Great Eastern Railway. It was originally known as Sabricstworth, being the seat of the family of Say, or de Say. It has a history dating from the Conquest. (pp. 113, 132.) Shenley (1120) a village about four miles to the southward of St Albans; the manor in the time of Stephen belonged to the de Mandeviles, who had also the church.