Set in twelfth-century England, this epic of kings and peasants juxtaposes the building of a magnificent church with the violence and treachery that often characterized the Middle Ages.

In 1120 A.D., the heir to the English throne dies when the royal ship burns at sea. The King calls on his subjects to accept his daughter Maud as ruler until her son comes of age, but the church backs his nephew Stephen. Squire Bartholomew pledges his loyalty to Maud and is thrown in jail, leaving his daughter Aliena and son Richard alone. Maud goes raises an army in France and attacks Stephen. Meanwhile, Tom Builder is destined to construct a cathedral...