A Tribute in the Rain: St Albans Honours its Cathedral’s Saviour, John Chapple

St Albans, (22 November 2025) – In a scene of fitting solemnity, with the heavens opening above the cathedral he once helped to preserve, a blue plaque was officially installed at 3 Romeland on Saturday, honouring the memory of John Chapple – the Victorian Clerk of Works credited with saving St Albans Cathedral from collapse.

Undeterred by the pouring rain, a gathering of local historians and residents joined the official guest of honour, James Gaffney, who has meticulously studied Chapple’s life and work. It was Gaffney who illuminated the profound importance of this often-overlooked figure, a man whose practical skill and unwavering dedication bridged the gap between visionary architects and the urgent need to secure the city’s most iconic building for posterity.

The Sentinel of the Abbey

Appointed Clerk of Works in 1870, Chapple assumed responsibility for a structure in peril. As Gaffney explained, the Abbey was suffering from severe deterioration, and it was Chapple’s keen eye and voice of authority that proved most crucial. His most significant contribution was raising the alarm about the dangerous state of the central tower, a warning that set in motion the critical restoration work which ensured the survival of the landmark.

Yet his legacy reaches far beyond this single act of preservation. Over the final 16 years of his life, Chapple became the steadfast on-site manager of the Cathedral’s grand Victorian restoration. He supervised the painstaking work on the Shrine of St Alban, the nave, the creation of the new deanery, and the rebuilding of the west end. In doing so, he navigated the often-stormy professional relationship between two titans of the age: Sir George Gilbert Scott and Sir Edmund Beckett (Lord Grimthorpe).

Architect of a City's Progress

Chapple’s influence, however, was not confined to the Cathedral close. He was a driving force in the civic life of Victorian St Albans. Serving as the city’s architect, he drew up plans for a new art college and library. His commitment to public service saw him elected as a councillor, become Mayor in 1879-80, and remain an alderman until his death. His remarkable energy also extended to roles as a magistrate, Justice of the Peace, and a director of the St Albans Permanent Benefit Building Society.

The man behind these achievements had a humble beginning, born in Somerset in 1826 and taking over the family saddlery business before his ambitions turned to architecture. His path to St Albans was paved with diverse experience, potentially even working with the legendary Isambard Kingdom Brunel, before formal training under George Gilbert Scott.

A Fittingly Watery Tradition

In a remarkable coincidence, this is the second blue plaque to be installed at 3 Romeland in inclement weather. An earlier plaque honouring the Pre-Raphaelite artist E.R. Hughes was also unveiled during a downpour, suggesting perhaps that St Albans' history prefers to be celebrated with a touch of dramatic atmosphere.

Blue Plaques St Albans is immensely grateful to Robert and Joanna Morris, who gave permission for the plaque to be installed on their home.

Professor Tim Boatswain, Chair of Blue Plaques St Albans, commented: "Despite the rain, it was a great occasion and a special thanks to all those donors who help make Blue Plaques St Albans possible. This is our fifteenth plaque, and it's so appropriate that such an important person in the history of the Cathedral and the city has been honoured."

As the rain fell on Romeland, it seemed to wash clean the slate of history, allowing a clearer view of a man who shaped the very fabric of the city. This new plaque does more than mark a home; it secures the memory of John Chapple—from humble origins, he became a civic champion, and without whom the St Albans skyline might look very different today.