He met the Normans half-way by undertaking to build a great church of stone, after the Norman style of architecture.
In 1088 he suffered interruption through Welsh raids, but finally signalised the end of his labours by holding a synod in the crypt in 1094.
Another notable foundation of his is the Commandery, in 1095, believed to be one of the rarest specimens of early house architecture now extant. We cannot be too grateful for his contribution to church architecture, though only the outer walls of the nave, the aisles, a part of the transept walls, some shafts, and the crypt remain as evidences of his Norman adaptability.
Here it is well to accentuate the fact that the crypt (1084) is apsidal, and that only three other examples of this style exist, namely at Winchester, Gloucester, and Canterbury, all dating within the last twenty years of the eleventh century.
The nave (1175) was much injured by the collapse of the central tower. In the meanwhile, though dead some two hundred years, the saintly character of Wulfstan suffered no diminution, and was turned to profitable use by the monks soon after 1203, the year of his canonisation. The magnificent offerings to his shrine became so numerous and rich that the monks were enabled to finish the Cathedral in 1216—surely the most fitting memorial to the great founder. They continued their labours by adding a Lady chapel, soon after, in the east end, and rebuilding the choir in the Early English style. In the fourteenth century the nave was reconstructed, the Decorated style being introduced in the north side and the Perpendicular in the south.
The Chapter House is a round building with a stone roof resting on a central pillar, and dates from the Late Norman period.
The Refectory belongs to the Decorated, and the Perpendicular style claims the cloisters. The central tower is just over one hundred and sixty feet in height. As can be seen by the drawing, the plan of the building is a pure cross. There are two transept aisles, and only secondary transepts to the choir exist. A noteworthy circumstance is that St. Helen's, Worcester, is the earliest recipient of a chantry (1288).
The most interesting memorial in this cathedral is King John's, in the choir, said to be the earliest sepulchral effigy of an English king in the country. In the Chantry Chapel there is an altar-tomb to Arthur, Prince of Wales and son to Henry VII., who died in 1502. John Bauden, bishop, and author of "Icon Basilike," has a monument. Bishop Hough's memory is perpetuated by the work of Roubillac, and that of Mrs. Digby by the sculpture of Chantrey.
To give a detailed account of the history of the city would be long and unnecessary. Suffice it to say that the city continually changed hands during the civil wars. In 1265, in Worcestershire, close upon the frontier of Gloucestershire, was fought the battle of Evesham, in which Henry III.'s son surprised and defeated Earl Simon de Montford, one time a royal favourite. This result put an end to the confederacy of the barons. Cantilupe, the Bishop of Worcester, was implicated in that he favoured the Earl's cause, who had withdrawn previous to the battle, to the friendly territory of Worcester's See, and had rested at Evesham Abbey. Queen Elizabeth and James II. respectively paid the city a short visit.
It suffered extensively by the dissolution of the monasteries. The parliamentary troops foully defiled the Cathedral, and did considerable damage to the city, which was Royalist.