 The design and construction was overseen by the Norman Robert the Mason.The plan has very limited Anglo-Saxon elements and is clearly influenced by the French work at Cluny, Bernay and Caen, and shares a similar floor plan to Saint-Étienne and Lanfranc's Canterbury — although the poorer quality building material was a new challenge for Robert and he clearly borrowed some Roman techniques, which were learned while gathering material in Verulamium.To take maximum use of the hilltop the Abbey was oriented to the south-east.