This summer St Albans will commemorate the 800th anniversary of its unique place in the history of the Magna Carta by holding a series of events.

St Albans Magna Carta Festival will take place over the weekend of Friday, August 2 to Sunday, August 4, to mark The Magna Carta - the historic charter setting out fundamental human rights continues to underpin legal systems across the world The festival was launched yesterday with the ceremonial opening of ‘Magna Carta 1213: the Journey Starts Here’, an exhibition at the Museum of St Albans.

Councillor Julian Daly, leader of St Albans District Council said: "Local people are proud of the role St Albans played in setting events in motion for the sealing of the Magna Carta 800 years ago.

"We have a magnificent programme of events, music and festivities planned..

"I hope that the whole community will embrace this opportunity to commemorate our city’s unique role in the history of the development of fundamental human rights. We expect to welcome visitors from around the world and to lay on a weekend to remember."

The ‘Magna Carta 1213: the Journey Starts Here’ exhibition will run from Saturday, June 1, to Saturday, September 15 which displays the historic first meeting to discuss severe grievances against King John in St Albans in August 1213.

This meeting between the barons and the clergy, led ultimately to the articles that became Magna Carta, sealed at Runnymede two years later in 1215.

This summer, for the first time ever in St Albans, there will be a chance to see an original copy of the Magna Carta on display in St Albans Cathedral from Saturday, August 3 to Thursday, August 29.

Also at the Cathedral between 7pm and 8pm on Friday, August 2, Vernon Bogdanor, Professor of Government at Kings College in London, will present a keynote speech on The New British Constitution.

The Revd Dr Kevin Walton, Canon Chancellor at St Albans Cathedral said he was delighted to start the commemoration of the 800th anniversary of the Magna Carta.

He said: "St Albans Abbey in 1213 was the place where the Magna Carta's journey began and it is fitting that we can play an important part in the national celebrations."

This is followed by a concert from the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and St Albans Chamber Choir at 7.30pm on Saturday, August 4.The special programme will be inspired by the themes and spirit of the Magna Carta.

The Magna Carta Medieval Festival will be held in Verulamium Park on the weekend of Saturday, August 3 and Sunday, August 4, which features a historical encampment and reenactment of the conflict between the king, the barons and the church.

Families will be invited to enjoy equestrian, combat and archery displays and exciting and fun activities, while "the Manga Carta", a unique artistic interpretation of the charter, inspired by Japanese Manga comic art will be on display.

The weekend commemorations will conclude with an Evensong Service in the Cathedral with the choir of St Paul’s Episcopal Church, Rochester, New York at 6.30pm on Sunday evening. The sermon will be given by the Reverend Professor Diarmaid MacCulloch, an authority on the medieval church.

Sir Robert Worcester, Chairman of the Magna Carta 800th Anniversary Commemorative Committee said: "The meeting between Stephen Langton, Archbishop of Canterbury and fellow clergy with the barons at St Albans in 1213 was critical in the development of the Magna Carta and so on the impact it has had to the history of the UK and indeed around the world.

"The Magna Carta 800th Committee is working closely with the Council and other stakeholders in putting together the exciting series of events planned in St Albans and drawing many tourists through the summer.

"There is a lot to look forward to and I know the people of St Albans are coming together to provide a fitting opening event in the run up to the 800th Anniversary of the sealing of the Magna Carta in 2015."