HISTORY OF ST MICHAELS AND THE SIX BELLS

Providing hospitality for over 400 years. The only Freehouse within the walls of Roman Verulamium.

In 1543 an entry in an Estate Roll of the Manor of Gorhambury refers to a Bell Croft and in 1596 there is reference to 'Le Bell in Saint Michaels'.

It would seem that the house originated as an alehouse with land attached, the tenants making a living from some form of agriculture as well as from the victualling trade. The present building is of late 16th century.

In 1756 The Six Bells could provide two beds for travellers and stabling for nine horses.

At some time between 1769-86 the number of bells in the nearby St Michaels Church was reflected by a change in the name of the house to The Six Bells.

St Michaels Street

St Michaels Street once formed part of one of the busiest roads in England, the London, Chester, Holyhead road.

By the ninth century the Roman Watling Street had been diverted from its course through Verulamium to pass around St Albans Abbey, effectively creating the road from the town to St Michaels, George Street, Fishpool Street and St Michaels Street.

It was estimated in 1815 that 70 mail and stage coaches coaches passed daily through St Albans and that these along with travellers on foot accounted for over one thousand people passing through the town each day. Most of these would have travelled on this road.

St Michaels Bridge, over the River Ver, is now the oldest extant bridge in Hertfordshire.

The Romans

Archaeological work has revealed remains of a Roman Bath House which had been burnt down by the followers of Queen Boudicca in the revolt of AD 60 where the Six Bells now stands. It was necessarily built of flint and brick, and is the earliest known masonry building at Verulamium.

With the establishment of Roman Verulamium around AD 50, a public bath house was constructed alongside the street leading from the "Colchester Gate" to the town centre.

Unfortunately only a very small portion, part of the frigidarium or cold room, of what must have been a large building is known. It's quality was shown by fragments of finely painted plaster one of which displayed a tortoiseshell lyre, a bow and a quiver of arrows, the attributes of the god Apollo.

In the revolt of AD 60 the building was seriously damaged by fire but was subsequently reused, although in a poor condition, while a new public baths was constructed elsewhere in Verulamium.