Gloucester Cathedral stands on the site of an early monastery established in 678 or 679. The present abbey church was created between 1072 and 1104 as a part of a Benedictine monastery. Gloucester is one of 6 former monasteries that were re-founded as cathedrals in the period of Henry VIII. It was probably selected as it has the tomb of a former English King, Edward II, and the coronation took place here of Henry III.

The Benedictine monks would have washed here in preparation for Mass.