Gundulf was a monk of Bec Abbey in Normandy and a friend, pupil and also chamberlain of Lanfranc.

This restored income enabled Gundulf to start reconstruction work on the almost derelict church building in 1080.

[citation needed] Colchester is attributed to Gundulf on the basis of the similarity in plan and design to the White Tower.

[5] Sometime around 1092 Gundulf founded the abbey of St Mary's, at West Malling, Kent for Benedictine nuns.

Later Gundulf had the relics of St. Paulinus, a previous Bishop of Rochester, housed in a silver shrine at the church.