The Pillars of the Earth is a historical novel by Welsh author Ken Follett published in 1989 about the building of a cathedral in the fictional town of Kingsbridge, England. It is set in the middle of the 12th century, primarily during the time of The Anarchy, between the time of the sinking of the White Ship and the murder of Thomas Becket. The book was highly successful and led to the Kingsbridge series.