The rebuilding of the Abbey Church by Abbot Paul de Caen occupied eleven years.  When completed, it was certainly one of the noblest and largest structures in the kingdom.  The length of this cruciform Norman church was 426 feet. (The extreme length is now 550, due to additions presently mentioned.) On the E. side of either transept were two apsidal chapels, the one adjoining the presbytery aisle being in each case the larger of the two; there was also an apse at the E. end of the presbytery.  A square, battlemented tower flanked the W. front on either side; but the chief glory of Abbot Paul’s church was undoubtedly the enormous Norman tower of four stages, triforium, clerestory, ringing-floor and belfry, surmounted by parapets and flanked by angle turrets, of which such considerable portions yet remain.  Visitors who saw the Abbey thirty years ago saw the E. portion of the nave, the transepts and the tower substantially as built by Abbot Paul de Caen.  The new Abbey was dedicated 1115.

Geoffrey de Gorham, sixteenth abbot (1119-46), placed the relics of St. Alban in a new shrine.

Robert de Gorham, eighteenth abbot (1161-67), erected the Chapter House and Locutory (Abbot’s Cloister); his successor, Symeon (1167-83), completed the erection and embellishment of the Shrine of St. Alban, raising its height so that it could be seen from the High Altar.  During his abbacy the relics of St. Amphibalus were brought to St. Albans, and the shrine of that saint was eventually erected in the E. aisle.  The Chapel of St. Cuthbert in the Baptistery, built by Abbot Richard de Albini (1097-1119), was also dedicated about this time.

Warren de Cambridge, twentieth abbot (1183-95), placed the relics of St. Amphibalus in a feretry, enriching it with gold and silver ornamentation.  He placed it behind the High Altar, near the feretry of St. Alban.

John de Cella, twenty-first abbot (1195-1214), commenced to rebuild the W. front, notably the three fine E.E. porches now replaced by those of Lord Grimthorpe, but the work was completed by his successor William de Trumpyntone (1214-35), who added the two flanking towers.  This abbot erected the rood screen between the nave and choir, added the octagon above the tower after removing the Norman turrets and parapets, and probably built those E.E. bays on each side of the nave which are nearest to the W. front.  He also restored portions of the S. transept and S. aisle, and rebuilt St. Cuthbert’s Chapel on the spot now partly occupied by the Rood Screen.