1582.
John Brown.
Archdeacon Edward Carter, 1662.
Archdeacon John Cole, 1687.
Archdeacon John Cole (II.), 1713.
Benjamin Preedy, 1754.
Joseph Spooner, 1779.
John Payler Nicholson, 1796.
Henry Small, 1817.
Henry J.B. Nicholson, 1835.
Sir John C. Hawkins, Bart., 1866.
Archdeacon Walter John Lawrance,[12] 1868.

[12] Dean since July, 1900.

The Church of St. Albans was in the diocese of Lincoln until 1845, when
it was handed over to Rochester. In 1877 Parliament passed a bill for
the division of the populous diocese of Rochester into two parts; the
northern to be called the see of St. Albans, the southern to retain the
name of Rochester. The Right Rev. Dr. Claughton, then Bishop of
Rochester, elected to take the northern division of his old diocese and
became Bishop of St. Albans. He was succeeded in 1890 by John Wogan
Festing, D.D., who died in 1903.

Both of these bishops are buried in the churchyard on the north side of
the nave. On Dr. Festing's death the Right Rev. Edgar Jacob, D.D., was
translated to St. Albans from the diocese of Newcastle, and was
enthroned in May, 1903.

The Church of St. Albans, although legally a cathedral church, yet
differs in certain particulars from most of the other churches of this
rank in England. It is also used as a parish church, of which the Dean
is rector. He has the same powers, responsibilities, and duties as the
rector of any other parish. It is sometimes said that the nave is the
parish, and the part eastward of the rood screen the cathedral church,
but it is not so. The Dean as rector has power over the whole, and
parishioners have right of access to every part of the building, just as
in any other parish church; and the Dean as their rector can be called
upon to baptize, marry, visit, and bury the people under his charge.
Churchwardens are also appointed and have their statutory rights. There
are some honorary canons, but as yet no "canons residentiary," nor are
there "priests vicars" (or "minor canons"), lay vicars, or choristers on
the foundation. The choir is a voluntary one, the clergy under the Dean
are curates.

The two parts of the church that are ordinarily in use are the Lady
Chapel, where morning and evening prayer is said