how quickly the towers were built is controversial. poyntz wright estimates one or two years. john h. harvey believes a construction rate of per year, allowing for gradual settlement, is more in accord with known medieval tower construction rates. the towers were commissioned by wealthy benefactors and parishes as a testament to their faith, as well as a highly visible sign of wealth and status. nikolaus pevsner notes that at the end of the 14th century, somerset was producing a quarter of the wool products made in england and this was one of the sources of wealth that produced the somerset towers. the boom in wool led to a comparable, though architecturally rather different, wave of equally extravagant parish churches in 15th century suffolk. an additional source of support for some of the somerset churches would have been close ties to nearby monasteries in muchelney, athelney, glastonbury and bath.