No matter how advanced technology and materials are, a building can only exist with someone who truly needs it to be constructed. Such a person emerges only when building the structure becomes vital to sustaining their livelihood. In this essay, I will explore the lives of medieval people through the construction of sacred architecture, the cathedrals.

    Many people admire the grandeur of cathedrals and are familiar with the elements that contribute to their magnificence. The intricate stained-glass windows and sculptures adorning the cathedral walls required immense capital and the labor of skilled stonemasons. The medieval people’s desire for salvation and entry into heaven fueled their religious fervor, driving their passion for cathedral construction. However, behind the cathedral’s splendid facades lay a world of intense conflicts between the church and royal authority, two dominant powers of the time. These struggles profoundly shaped the cathedral constructions, along with the desperate efforts of ordinary citizens to sustain their livelihoods in a society dominated by the privileged. The most basic human desire to secure sustenance wages drove people to monasteries and cathedrals, more so than religious faith. This primal need was the driving force that made massive cathedral construction possible.

    Ken Follet’s novel The Pillars of the Earth vividly depicts the lives of those involved in the cathedral construction in the fictional medieval English town of Kingsbridge. The monastery, deeply committed to the cathedral construction amidst the competing interests of parishes, local nobility, and even the English crown, undertakes numerous efforts to secure funds and building materials for the project. In this process, many people find employment in and around the cathedral, going about their daily lives. Just as a pillar supports the weight of a structure, the cathedral became the pillar of life for those connected, sustaining the town and its people. As the novel illustrates, the construction was not merely a religious endeavor but also a complex economic activity. It drew people, stimulated the market economy and urban development, and accumulated wealth for the ruling class. At the same time, it represented the most significant collective achievement of the subjugated majority—over 90% of the population—united under a shared purpose.

    According to the records from 1377, London, the largest city in England, had a population of approximately 45,000 to 50,000. Beyond London, there were four cities with populations ranging from 8,000 to 15,000, eight cities with 5,000 to 8,000 inhabitants, 27 cities with 2,000 to 5,000, and roughly 500 towns with populations between 500 and 2,000. Most of these towns are small, with populations under 1,500, and function more like rural villages with markets rather than what we would define as cities today. By comparison, 14th-century Hanyang in Korea boasted a population exceeding 100,000, making these English towns appear remarkably small in scale.

    Despite the relatively small population, it was nearly impossible for anyone entering cities to gain citizenship and live freely. According to records from the city of Exeter, by the late 14th century, the city had a population of about 3,000, yet only 90 individuals (3% of the population) were freemen with citizenship in 1377. This pattern was similar across other cities. In early 14th London, only 2,000 out of 40,000 residents (roughly 5%) were citizens, just 2 to 3% of the total population on average. The medieval English cities were societies dominated by the privileged and ruled by a minority of nobles and royalty. Citizenship was typically inherited and rarely granted to new residents. To obtain citizenship, one had to live in the city for an extended period, amass significant wealth, and secure the support of influential city leaders. This arduous process required wealth and social connections, effectively reserving citizenship for the elite.

    Commoners who entered cities arbitrarily without permission often faced punishment or expulsion. People were segregated by class, and many were prohibited from living within the city walls. Vagrants were unwelcome and frequently accused of witchcraft and burned at the stake. For these marginalized individuals, the most desperate need was shelter for a stable life. While the Magna Carta of the 13th century guaranteed that once a person became a freeman, their life and property could not be infringed upon without legal proceedings or trials, one first had to accumulate wealth to achieve this status.

    On the other hand, nobles from various regions, feudal lords, and often the bishops of dioceses who frequently acted as feudal lords engaged in fierce power struggles to gain legal jurisdiction over cities. This allowed them to control the townspeople through the enforcement of laws directly and to generate significant income through property confiscation, fines, and administrative fees. Consequently, it was common for multiple feudal jurisdictions to overlap within a single city. Archbishops, cathedral chapters, and novels held legal authority, enabling them to amass economic wealth through land rents, fines, market revenues, seigniorage, and tithes.

    Medieval cities were composed of a complex social hierarchy consisting of nobles, the church, and commoners. Among these, the commoners bore the brunt of taxation as subjects under feudal jurisdiction. In the medieval worldview, nobles were regarded as warriors and knights whose primary duties were to serve the king in battle and protect the peasants. As a result, nobles were only taxed during times of peace when they were not engaged in combat. Similarly, the church, instead of paying taxes to lords or the king, was tasked with commoners’ welfare and spiritual enlightenment through missionary work. Local monasteries, in fact, collected taxes directly from the commoners. The heavy tax burden required commoners to surrender half of their income. After paying monetary taxes, they would provide livestock to the church. Despite these significant financial obligations, commoners were drawn into cities, seeking protection and better opportunities. In this context, cathedrals represented the best chance for employment, ensuring they could legally enter and stay in the city. The construction was typically a long-term project spanning many years, offering workers stable jobs and safety and regular meals provided by the church. Once construction began, laborers could look forward to years free from concerns about taxes, food, and shelter, thanks to the church’s support.

    Skilled craftsmen led the construction organized in guilds, who were responsible for design, sculpture, and structural work, while unskilled tasks during the process were handled by laborers who received daily wages. Craftsmen were better compensated, and entire laborers’ families often found employment within the cathedral’s operations. Sons of stonemasons and carpenters learned specialized skills by working alongside their fathers on the construction site. Additionally, markets often emerged near cathedrals to support ongoing construction, creating new job opportunities. In Ken Follet’s novel, a merchant character finds work by staying at the monastery and acting as an intermediary between the market and the peasants. This character further creates jobs by supplying textiles to the monastery on behalf of producers. Historically, Robert of Lewes, the Bishop of Bath, established three markets in Wells, Somerset, located along major roads—Modern Broad Street, Queen Street, and St. Cuthbert Street (High Street). These markets formed a large triangular district. In 1148, Robert initiated the reconstruction of the Anglo-Saxon church into a Norman church, using the markets to secure economic control and attract people to Wells. As cathedral construction progressed, many workers came to Wells for church-related work, boosting market profits. The expansion of these markets provided additional jobs, establishing a stable foundation for Well’s society.

    Marking the dawn of a new millennium, the 11th century was a period deeply infused with thoughts of the Last Judgement and apocalyptic beliefs. In a society where everyone dreamed of absolution from sin and entry into heaven, it was natural for those working in a cathedral to seek salvation through their labor. Constructions often initiated by the commands of the ruling class as a means of survival served not only as a tangible element that sustained the lives of people but also as a spiritual pillar that inspired faith and hope. Furthermore, it represented a social movement that unified the objectives of commoners, nobles, and the church under the shared banner of faith, culminating in the creation of monumental architecture. The cathedral became a place that welcomed all social strata, as merchants set up stalls in the courtyard to conduct business, travelers found shelter at night, and stonemasons and carpenters gathered to await potential employers.

    An author writes a literary work to reflect the state of society and express their thoughts. Ken Follet explored the lives behind the construction of cathedrals as he sought to understand the sense of awe he felt when he first saw one. Cathedrals, built over long periods and enduring the passage of time, inspire profound admiration in people, yet the source of this awe lies in the immense human effort that brought these structures to life.

    The world has changed, but it feels like nothing has changed in some ways. Today, the wealthiest 5% still own 90% of the land, while the remaining 95% seek employers to provide them with work. However, we are no longer satisfied with merely working to survive. We aspire to create our own cathedrals that give our lives meaningful purpose. What is the cathedral—the pillar—that supports the lives of modern people? What can we build for ourselves?

Reference

  1. 『The Pillars of the Earth』, Ken Follett, Macmillan, United Kingdom, 1989, ISBN 978-0333519837.
  2. 『The Medieval City』, Norman Pounds, Greenwood Press, Westport, London, 2005, pp55-98.
  3. “English Heritage Extensive Urban Survey,” 「An Archaeological assessment of Wells」, Clare Gathercole, SOMERSET City Council, 2003, pp4-15.
  4. 우리 눈으로 보는 세계사 1, 강철구, 용의 숲, 2009, pp101-124.
  5. 고딕 대성당을 중심으로 한 중세 인들의 커뮤니케이션 -샤르트르와 영국 대성당들(cathedrals)을 중심으로, 이영재 서양중세사연구, 21, 2008, 53-87.

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    While taking a Western Architecture History class, I had the opportunity to write a short essay. In the winter of 2017, I first came across Ken Follett’s epic novel The Pillars of the Earth on a bookshelf, but it was in the fall of 2018 that I finally turned its pages. In less than a day, I devoured all three volumes. Inspired by the depiction of cathedral construction in medieval England, I decided to explore how these grand churches influenced the lives of Western Europeans during the Middle Ages. What started as a light essay soon led me to delve into the records of the Wells City Council in England. Cathedrals remain significant landmarks in Western cities today, and this research helped me weave together my scattered knowledge of Western architecture, literature, and musical arts. Throughout the writing, the main theme of the musical Notre-Dame de Paris, The Age of the Cathedrals, kept playing in my mind.