Thomas, the first Norman Archbishop, set about the erection of a new cathedral. He formed out of the ruins of the old one a choir, and, in front, built a wide tower with transepts and an aisled nave. He introduced the apse to terminate the eastern end of the choir and the transept chapels. Owing to the rebellious tendencies of the men of York, the new tower may have been planned with an idea of defence and as a place of refuge. In the next century, Roger, who had been Archdeacon of Canterbury and had seen the building of the choir there, was appointed to the See of York. As the small aisleless choir at York did not appeal to him, he replaced it with a large crypt and aisled choir, which would present less contrast with the glorious choir he had left. The crypt consists of five aisles, separated by columns and short massive diapered piers, which are surrounded by small shafts. The doorways were richly sculptured. Part of the exterior northern wall is now enclosed within the present crypt. On the stonework of the Norman crypt are some well-preserved masons’ marks. The cathedral at York was never attached to a monastery, but was occupied by a body of secular canons, who in the early days led a kind of communal life. It is probably from this circumstance that the cathedral has been generally referred to as the Minster (monasterium). Pilgrimages to shrines of saints became very popular; the Minster, however, was at a great disadvantage in comparison with the other great minsters and cathedrals, for it had no illustrious saint buried within its walls. In Beverley Minster the famed archbishop of York--St. John of Beverley--was buried. Durham Cathedral contained the remains of Cuthbert, the most famous of the saints of northern England. Canterbury possessed the tomb of the most popular of English saints, Thomas à Becket. Westminster Abbey enclosed the remains of the saintly Edward the Confessor. St. Albans prided itself on the relics of the early Saint Alban.