SS Richard Montgomery Mask - Dockyard Chatham

I was at the dockside with my daughter, participating in the Yuck Yard Halloween trail, when I noticed that the SS Richard Montgomery mask was sitting by one of the boats. Like everyone else who was at the dockyard that day, I went to take a closer look, as I had only ever seen the mask from a distance while at Sheerness Beach.

The SS Richard Montgomery is a World War II ship that lies at the bottom of the Sheerness Sea. It contains approximately 1,400 tons of unexploded bombs, which could potentially wipe out all of Sheerness and beyond if they were to explode. In September 2026, the mask from this wartime ship, which had been sitting at the bottom of the Thames, was removed because it had become dangerous and heavy, causing stress on the boat. It was reported in October 2026 that the project was completed, and the mask was now at Dockyard Chatham, where it will be studied and conserved for a local display. However, it is still unknown when that will take place.

St Albans Cathedral - Hertfordshire.

 

I stopped off at the St Albans Cathedral during my visit, and wow, it reminded me of something out of Harry Potter. The interior was stunning, and we spent a good hour just exploring. It wasn't even that busy, which was really nice. The best part was that it was free to enter. I absolutely loved how magical it looked inside. There was one area I didn’t visit because a baptism was taking place.

The cathedral is home to medieval shrines that date back to the 1700s. It is a Grade I listed building, constructed between 1077 and 1893. Originally known as the Abbey, it was dissolved in the 16th century and became a cathedral in 1877.

St Michael's Church - St Albans

This little church was not part of our original plans; we just happened to be passing by and decided to stop and take a look. Inside, the church was really lovely and had a similar layout to most other churches. The stained glass windows were particularly beautiful. We spent about 15-20 minutes exploring the church and admiring the stunning architecture.

 

This charming church dates back to the 10th or 11th century and is a surviving Anglo-Saxon building. It is Grade I listed.

Verulamium Museum - St Albans

I was told to check out a little Roman site in St. Albans, so while I was up there, I thought I would visit. We were really lucky on the day we went because it was Heritage Open Day, and the building was free to enter. Normally, it costs £10 for adults and £5 for children. 

Once inside, we looked around the site. I was surprised that it wasn’t very busy, considering free entry on Heritage Open Day. The site was nice to wander through, and it explained various aspects of Roman life, such as working from home, cooking, farming, and daily living. There were also a few mosaics to see. Overall, the site was really interesting to visit.

This little site was originally a center for the Catuvellauni tribe before the Romans arrived. Around 50 AD, it became a prominent Roman town. It is said that in the 1930s, there was a major excavation that uncovered Roman remains. The original site was built for £8,000 and opened in May 1939.