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The cathedral, or rather the part described above as Gundulf's work, seems to have been erected by 1087, in which year William the Conqueror bequeathed some money, robes, and ornaments to it. The monastic portions were certainly finished before Lanfranc's death in 1089.
Gundulf's Tower is certainly, therefore, an early example of a detached campanile, and, if built as such, was probably the first in this country. As has been before mentioned, its reduction to a mere ruin is of quite recent date.
Until 1730 the bells were rung from a loft or gallery over the steps to the choir, the approach being from Gundulf's tower. This gallery was then removed, and the vaulting of the crossing finished to match that of the south transept, which had been repaired and decorated not long before according to a plan by Mr. James.
The westernmost door in the north wall formerly gave access to Gundulf's tower, the easternmost now leads to the belfry. #Monuments.# Coming from the north transept we see, to the right, the tomb ascribed to Bishop Hamo de Hythe, who died in 1352. It is certainly in the style of that time. The elaborate ornamentation of the arch under the canopy is worthy of attention.
Gundulf's remains may, however, have been moved when the great eastward extension was made, and have been subsequently placed here. This would justify the tradition that the monument has contained his bones. In the next bay to the west we have a dark marble monument, very like that of Bishop Lawrence de St. Martin, and possibly even by the same artist. Its canopy is, however, simpler.
His book contains a great amount of accurate information, but often, as here, and in his account, quoted above, of Gundulf's really good and useful work, shows the strong prejudices of the ordinary English Protestant of his time.
Lambarde, following perhaps the chronicler who said, "Ecclesiam Andreæ, pæne vetustate dirutam, novam ex integro, ut hodie apparet, ædificavit," does not seem to suspect the incompleteness of Gundulf's work of which he gives the following quaint account.
Of #Gundulf's Tower#, on the north side of the choir, between the main and choir transepts, only ruins now remain, but these are older than any other part of the church's buildings still in existence above ground. The tower was certainly Gundulf's work and built before his church.
The main framework of the whole rectangular structure probably dates from Gundulf's or, at the latest, from Bishop Ralph's time; the simple plan and the walls, 3 feet in thickness, being such as might be expected in early Norman work. The building, which has a total length of 70 feet, is of stone, with a tiled roof, and now forms dwelling-houses.
It has been conjectured that the lower portions of these two towers formed the transepts of Gundulf's church. This would have greatly reduced the length of its choir, while adding, to the same amount, to that of its nave. Such a theory is, however, quite untenable now, as the real lines of the transept have been traced.
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