 Such towers were often topped during the late Medieval period with a Gothic spire of wooden construction covered with lead, copper or shingles.In the case of Norwich Cathedral, the huge, ornate, 12th-century crossing-tower received a 15th-century masonry spire rising to a height of 320 feet and remaining to this day.In Italy towers are almost always free standing and the position is often dictated by the landform of the site, rather than aesthetics.