The plot involves the building of a cathedral in England, and covers several generations of a family that designed and worked on it. It starts in the Middle Ages, I think.

Any Ideas?

Sounds like The Pillars of the Earth - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Pillars_of_the_Earth)

By Jove, that's the one. Thanks, Quinn F.

You're welcome.

Another is --

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarum_(novel)1

But it extends from prehistoric times to the 1980s.