Bristol Abbey Cathedral

Norman buildings of any size were usually roofed with timber, but there was a definite wish to follow Roman practice, in which the roof was vaulted with a semicircular or barrel vault. The weight of such a vault and the thrusts which it set up was very great, and it was some while before the necessary skills had been acquired. However, it was not in the nature of the Normans to be timid in their approach. The great volume of building which had been engaged in led the way, and the high structural quality of their work, clearly evident here, was essential to the realizing of the great spaces they designed.