La Trinité: Detail of waterspouts and balustrade on the transept tower

The abbey was founded c. 1060 by Matilda, wife of William the Conqueror, as a convent for women. There was a consecration in 1066, and Matilda was buried in the choir in 1083. Work continued until c. 1130, when the nave received its unusual false sexpartite vaults. The church has a crypt at the east end, an aisled nave of nine bays with a twin-tower façade block, projecting transepts with an eastern apsidal chapel on each arm (that opening on to the south transept was replaced c. 1260 by a Gothic rectangular chapel) and a two-bay, groin-vaulted choir separated from the flanking aisles by a solid wall.