St Albans Cathedral’s first-ever auction of Victorian furniture has proven to be a resounding success, raising just over £5,000 and drawing remarkable interest from bidders near and far. The star of the auction was a historic St Albans hymn board, which fetched an impressive £750 after receiving significant attention.

"It has been wonderful to see the community connect with pieces of our history in this way."
- The Very Revd Jo Kelly-Moore

The event, which ran from 8-15 January with items displayed in the North Transept, sparked nostalgia and enthusiasm from visitors, with some moments rivaling the famous Moon installation in terms of footfall. The auction, managed online by Humbert & Ellis Auctioneers, saw a strong response from the public, with every item finding a new home.

The lots presented in the North Transept

A special thanks goes to Jonathan Humbert of Humbert & Ellis, whose expertise in listing, organising, and managing the auction – as well as coordinating collection – played a crucial role in its success.

Jonathan commented, "What was so lovely about the auction was hearing of the many personal connections with the place – one gentleman who bought a very unprepossessing prie dieu (prayer desk) told me that he had been ordained in the cathedral 40 years ago and wanted a little bit of the cathedral in his parish church. The added value of these items in the love for the cathedral was palpable."

Dean of St Albans, the Very Reverend Jo Kelly-Moore, celebrated the outcome: “We never imagined such an enthusiastic response to what was, at heart, a bit of a spring clean! This auction not only helped us find new homes for these well-loved items but also made a much needed and generous contribution to Cathedral funds. It has been wonderful to see the community connect with pieces of our history in this way.  A huge thanks to our ‘spring cleaners’ who led this project and to Jonathan Humbert who kindly hosted the auction.”

With such an overwhelmingly positive outcome, there’s even talk it might happen again.... Watch this space!