At the start of the 13th century, construction of the greatest and most beautiful cathedral in England begins. Players are builders who try to contribute the most to this cathedral's construction and, in so doing, gain the most victory points. Gameplay roughly consists of using workers to create raw materials, and then using craftsmen to convert the materials into victory points. Workers can also be used to produce gold, the currency of the game. Players are also given three master builders every turn, each of which can do a variety of tasks, including recruiting more workers, buying or selling goods, or just obtaining victory points. Getting early choices with a master builder will cost gold, as does purchasing better craftsmen. Players must strike a balance between earning gold to fund their purchases and gaining victory points.