ALBANO, a town of Italy, on a lake of the same name,
name, in the Campagna of Rome. It was called by the ancients Albanum Pompeii, and built out of the ruins of the ancient Alba Longa, which was destroyed by Tullus Hostilius. It stands within twelve miles south-east of Rome, and for the pleasantness of its situation is the summer retirement of a great many Roman princes. It is likewise the see of a bishop, who is one of the six senior cardinals. The town is famous for its excellent wine, and the ruins of a mausoleum, which, according to the tradition of the inhabitants, was made for Alcanius. The prospect from the garden of the Capuchins is extremely pleasant, taking in the Campania of Rome, and terminating in a full view of the Tuscan sea. Close by the town lies the Alban lake, of an oval figure, and about seven miles in circumference, which, by reason of the high mountains round it, looks like the area of a great amphitheatre. It abounds with excellent fish, and over against the hermitage it is said to be unfathomable. The mountain of Albano is called Monte Cavo; on the top of which was a celebrated temple dedicated to Jupiter and Juno. Near the Capuchins there is another convent of Franciscans; and not far from thence the palace of Cardinal Barberini, remarkable for very pleasant gardens, with the ruins of ancient baths, and several old fragments of mosaic work. E. Long. 13. 10. N. Lat. 41. 43.
ALBANO is also a town in the kingdom of Naples, remarkable for the fertility of the surrounding territory, and for the nobility of the inhabitants.
ALBAN'S, SAINT, a market town of Hertfordshire, is a very great thoroughfare, accommodated with good inns, on the north-west road from London, at the distance of 21 miles. This town sends two members to parliament, gives the title of duke to the noble family of Beaulerc, and has one of the best markets for wheat in England. St Alban's is seated near the ruins of the ancient Roman city, by Tacitus called Verulam; and by the Saxons Watlingecaster, because it is seated on the road called Watlingstreet. Nothing now remains of Verulam but the ruins of old walls; in the fields adjacent to which they continue to find Roman coins, as they formerly found tessellated pavements. In memory of St Alban, Offa, king of the Mercians, anno 795, erected an abbey, calling it St Alban's; and near it the town of the same name was afterwards built. The church of the abbey is remaining to this day: time and the weather have made it look like stone on the outside; but if you break a bit off, the redness of the brick immediately appears. When the monasteries were dissolved, the townsmen paid 40s. to prevent its being levelled with the ground, and have since converted it into a parish-church, which, for its largeness, beauty, and antiquity, claims a particular regard. It had a very noble font of solid brass, in which the children of the kings of Scotland were used to be baptized; and was brought from Edinburgh, by Sir Philip Lea, when the city was in flames; but in the times of the late civil wars, it was taken away. Not many years since, a tomb was discovered in this church, said to be that of Humphry duke of Gloucester: when the leaden coffin was opened, the body was pretty entire, being preserved in a sort of pickle. There was a stately cross in the middle of the town, as there was in many other places, where Queen Eleanor's body rested when it was brought out of the north for inter-
ment at Westminster; but it is now demolished. W. Long. 0. 12. N. Lat. 51. 44.