 In September 1174 the quire was severely damaged by fire, necessitating a major reconstruction, the progress of which was recorded in detail by a monk named Gervase.The crypt survived the fire intact, and it was found possible to retain the outer walls of the quire, which were increased in height by in the course of the rebuilding, but with the round-headed form of their windows left unchanged.Everything else was replaced in the new Gothic style, with pointed arches, rib vaulting, and flying buttresses.