The city was proud of its religion, its thirteen conventual and more than a hundred parochial churches.

The new impulse changed its very aspect.

In the midst of the city Bishop Richard busied himself with the vast cathedral church of St.Paul which Bishop Maurice had begun; barges came up the river with stone from Caen for the great arches that moved the popular wonder, while street and lane were being levelled to make room for its famous churchyard.

Rahere, a minstrel at Henry's court, raised the Priory of St.
Bartholomew beside Smithfield.

Alfune built St.Giles's at Cripplegate.
The old English Cnichtenagild surrendered their soke of Aldgate as a site for the new priory of the Holy Trinity.