305:
Early Anglo-Saxon monks might baptize, preach, and administer the sacraments to the laity in their locality, and distinctions were further blurred by the existence of 'double monasteries' of nuns and secular clerks. In the last resort, however, monks could be free of pastoral obligations, while the secular minster always had its parish ('parochia') over which it exercised extensive and well-defined rights, including control over baptism and burial and the receipt of various financial dues such as church-scot and tithe.
488:
subsidiary status and dignity. Otherwise however, old minsters might continue collective worship as collegiate churches; their clergy initially being designated as 'portioners', as each canon was supported by a set portion of the college's endowment income. During the 11th and 12th centuries many such former minsters were provided with new statutes by which their endowments were split between their complement of canons, such that each canonry then became a '
33:
147:
345:; or to a church served by a less formal group of clergy living communally. In the earliest days of the English Church, from the 6th to the 8th centuries, minsters, in their various forms, constituted the only form of Christian institution with a permanent site. At the beginning of the period, they were the only form of permanent
487:
mostly then were designated as parish churches. For these parish churches, their former pre-eminence was acknowledged by the occasional retention of the honorific title; and sometimes by the continued recognition of former estate churches within their ancient territories as being, in some degree, of
304:
The term 'minster' was applied by the Anglo-Saxons to all religious communities, whether of monks proper or of secular clergy, a usage which reflects the fact that many early Anglo-Saxon monasteries had assumed the pastoral role which was ultimately the principal distinction of the secular college.
368:
and other customary agricultural rights and entitlements within a broad territory; as well as exemption from certain forms of customary service (especially military). The superior of the minster was generally from the family of the founder. The minster's primary purpose was to support the king and
297:, warning that noble families were abusing the privileged legal status accorded to the clergy, by making excessive landed endowments to minsters under their control. This reduced the overall stock of lands carrying the obligations of military service to the Northumbrian state.
188:
was for instance applied equally to a small community of men living away from other secular settlements, to a large community of men and women living in a planned enclosure designed around a church, and to a widow and her unmarried daughters living in seclusion.
401:, all active in their areas before the towns were founded on episcopal manors; but initially this appear to have been of secondary importance. In the 9th century, almost all English minsters suffered severely from the depredations of
462:
were increasingly proliferating on local estates; the difference being that lesser minsters had graveyards, where field churches did not. Of particular importance for these developments, was the royal enforcement in this period of
405:
invaders; and even when a body of clergy continued, any form of regular monastic life typically ceased. The important role of minsters in the organisation of the early
Christian church in Anglo-Saxon England has been called the
467:
as a compulsory religious levy on arable production. This vastly increased the resources available to support clergy; but at the same time strongly motivated local landowners to found their own local churches, so as to retain
183:
were used interchangeably. They were applied to all communities who had devoted their lives to
Christian observance, regardless of the gender of the occupants or the activities in which said occupants typically engaged.
337:"μοναστήριον", meaning a group of clergy where the Brothers would cloister themselves to meditate . Thus, "minster" could apply to any church whose clergy followed a formal rule: as for example a
293:. An expansion of monasteries began around 670, with many substantial royal gifts of land. Kings made grants of land to named individuals to found a minster. In 734 Bede wrote a letter to
418:
Following the
English recovery in the 10th century, surviving minsters were often refounded in accordance with the new types of collective religious bodies then becoming widespread in
500:
The Church of
England has designated additional minsters in the 20th and 21st centuries, by adding an honorific title to existing parish churches. These have included
373:; especially through intercession in times of war. Minsters are also said to have been founded, or extensively endowed, in expiation for royal crimes; as for example
568:
on 3 February 2013. Holy
Trinity, Hull became a minster on 13 May 2017. The most recent elevation to minster status is St Mary Magdalene, Taunton, which became
111:
Eventually a minster came to refer more generally to "any large or important church, especially a collegiate or cathedral church". In the 21st century, the
759:
237:
115:
has designated additional minsters by bestowing the status on certain parish churches, the most recent elevation to minster status being
1420:
1244:
451:
714:
735:
565:
720:
525:
1024:
1410:
1389:
1328:
81:
232:
was being used to refer to a "superior church" which was regarded as long-established and to which people paid their dues.
807:
509:
1415:
545:
294:
134:" and is used mainly for Protestant churches. The German term can be used for some Roman Catholic churches, such as the
218:
By the tenth century, a gradual distinction between a "church" and a "mynster" began to emerge. For instance, in the
116:
678:
350:
228:, and the sixth day of the moon for founding a church. This suggests that by the tenth and eleventh centuries,
69:
529:
365:
274:
208:
492:'; but otherwise numbers of former minsters continued as 'portioner' colleges through the medieval period.
789:
765:
557:
553:
521:
475:
In the 11th and 12th centuries former lesser minsters and field churches, typically served by individual
215:
orders, although this does not apply to the situation in Anglo-Saxon
England prior to the tenth century.
127:
on 13 March 2022, bringing the total number of current Church of
England minsters to 31 (listed below).
967:
865:
346:
972:
72:
of the 7th century, when it designated any settlement of clergy living a communal life and endowed by
666:
438:. Consequently, by the 11th century, a hierarchy of minsters became apparent; cathedral churches, or
310:
278:
162:
135:
77:
911:
857:
269:
The first minsters in the
English-speaking parts of Britain were founded in the century after the
1285:
1182:
825:
708:
549:
505:
435:
407:
342:
93:
1350:
220:
897:
831:
813:
753:
653:
625:
601:
513:
431:
427:
374:
282:
270:
112:
105:
58:
54:
36:
928:, and some churches are officially one but do not carry it in their name. Examples include:
1155:
952:
947:
901:
881:
801:
747:
660:
501:
1248:
885:
837:
777:
771:
741:
700:
620:
594:
569:
541:
533:
370:
1302:
1226:
192:
The modern
English term "monastery" does not express the same connotations as the Latin
1269:
1204:
873:
672:
419:
330:
242:
204:
1404:
957:
942:
932:
889:
819:
795:
561:
517:
361:
353:
were continually on the move, with their respective retinues, from estate to estate.
334:
322:
201:
89:
540:
was dedicated as a minster on 16 May 2010. Croydon Parish Church was rededicated as
937:
783:
642:
606:
528:
became a minster church in late 2009. The Parish Church of St. John the
Baptist in
50:
32:
962:
423:
212:
150:
389:
responsibilities, for instance the three minsters of north-east Herefordshire,
877:
390:
386:
277:
in 597. The first cases for which documentary evidence has been preserved are
146:
1159:
1146:
Thacker, Alan (1985). "Kings, Saints and Monasteries in Pre-Viking Mercia".
893:
869:
861:
853:
694:
476:
338:
326:
314:
101:
97:
46:
281:
programme of 654/5, in which he endowed 12 small minsters, and a gift from
92:
from the 11th century onwards. The term continued as a title of dignity in
450:
being pre-eminent within an area broadly equivalent to an administrative
394:
382:
378:
124:
17:
537:
489:
443:
398:
349:
in a culture that had not developed towns or cities. Kings, nobles and
318:
286:
120:
73:
175:, from Greek "μοναστήριον" ("monasterion"). In early English sources,
84:, minsters declined in importance with the systematic introduction of
480:
402:
85:
252:" is the translation for minster. Monastery or cloister is called "
469:
464:
357:
290:
169:
145:
31:
108:
or parish church had originated with an Anglo-Saxon foundation.
1172:
Joe Hillaby, Ledbury, a medieval borough, Logaston 2nd ed. 2005
999:
289:
in around 660 to accompany the foundation of the minster at
1329:"Medieval Art and Architecture – Medieval Lincoln Minster"
200:. This is because the term has come to be associated with
564:
on 2 September 2012. St Mary's Church, Cheltenham became
356:
Minsters were commonly founded by the king or by a royal
1303:"Hull's Holy Trinity Church to become Minster on 13 May"
843:
Telford Minster (created in 2022 within warehouse space)
1114:
1112:
1110:
27:
Honorific title given to particular churches in England
224:, the sixteenth day was propitious for establishing a
49:
given to particular churches in England, most notably
1247:. Diocese of Southwark. 26 May 2011. Archived from
579:
717:by Kirkdale near Kirkbymoorside in North Yorkshire
532:was elevated to minster status in November 2009.
1382:Monastic Life in Anglo-Saxon England, c.600-900
302:
1286:"St Mary's Church becomes Cheltenham Minster"
8:
196:, from which it derives, or the Old English
1245:"Croydon Parish Church to become a Minster"
422:, as monasteries following the reformed
369:the thegn in the regular worship of the
1270:"Leeds Parish Church to become Minster"
986:
850:Minster status preserved in placenames
548:. The elevation of two churches in the
76:with the obligation of maintaining the
1118:
1049:
1025:"St Mary's becoming a Minster church"
994:
992:
990:
496:Late-20th- and 21st-century additions
7:
1101:
1089:
1077:
1065:
1053:
1019:
1017:
153:, tallest church in the world (2003)
1227:"Parish church gets Minster status"
130:The term also exists in German as "
1002:. Oxford English Dictionary Online
25:
1205:"Mother Church becomes a Minster"
1183:"Church raised to minster status"
1154:. University of Birmingham: 1–2.
1133:The Church in Anglo-Saxon Society
730:Parish church (recent elevation)
554:St Margaret's Church, King's Lynn
472:income within their own estates.
265:Early and mid Anglo-Saxon periods
1351:"The Minster Church of St Denys"
479:, developed into the network of
552:was announced in October 2011:
235:An early appearance was in the
207:, such as that observed by the
1:
1384:. Cambridge University Press.
924:Some churches have the title
560:. Leeds Parish Church became
442:having pre-eminence within a
414:Late Saxon and Norman periods
364:and a corporate endowment of
920:In German-speaking countries
832:Sts. Thomas Minster, Newport
721:St Denys' Church, Warminster
526:St Andrew's Church, Plymouth
295:Ecgbert (Archbishop of York)
558:St Nicholas, Great Yarmouth
329:", itself derived from the
1437:
1357:. The Archbishops' Council
483:familiar to this day. The
309:The word derives from the
1421:Types of church buildings
1394:Churches in the Landscape
907:
849:
633:
590:
582:
381:. Minsters might acquire
168:) was a rendering of the
70:royal foundation charters
1029:St Mary Magdalene Church
576:Current usage in England
248:The modern German term "
117:St Mary Magdalene church
96:, for instances where a
1185:. BBC. 16 November 2004
1160:10.1179/mdh.1985.10.1.1
615:19th-century elevation
530:Halifax, West Yorkshire
275:Augustine of Canterbury
766:Great Yarmouth Minster
544:on 29 May 2011 by the
434:following the rule of
333:"monasterium" and the
307:
300:Alan Thacker states:
238:Ecclesiastical History
154:
94:later medieval England
78:daily office of prayer
39:
1411:History of cathedrals
866:Forrabury and Minster
715:St. Gregory's Minster
693:St Andrew's Minster,
347:collective settlement
271:mission to the Saxons
149:
35:
1380:Foot, Sarah (2006).
1331:. vrcoll.fa.pitt.edu
912:South Elmham Minster
667:Hemingbrough Minster
313:"mynster", meaning "
136:Strasbourg Cathedral
82:10th-century England
61:in Nottinghamshire.
1416:Churches in England
1251:on 24 December 2013
1207:. BBC. 2 March 2009
1131:John Blair (2005).
790:King's Lynn Minster
546:Bishop of Southwark
428:collegiate churches
1276:, 20 February 2012
968:Radolfzell Minster
826:Sunderland Minster
736:Cheltenham Minster
709:Stonegrave Minster
572:on 13 March 2022.
566:Cheltenham Minster
550:Diocese of Norwich
506:Sunderland Minster
436:Chrodegang of Metz
432:cathedral chapters
408:Minster hypothesis
155:
68:is first found in
40:
1355:A Church Near You
1309:. 7 November 2016
1292:, 3 February 2013
1031:. 5 February 2022
917:
916:
886:Minster-in-Thanet
814:Rotherham Minster
760:Godalming Minster
754:Doncaster Minster
711:, North Yorkshire
669:, North Yorkshire
654:collegiate church
637:Former cathedral
626:Southwell Minster
602:Lincoln Cathedral
534:St James's Church
375:Minster-in-Thanet
113:Church of England
106:collegiate church
59:Southwell Minster
55:Westminster Abbey
37:Southwell Minster
16:(Redirected from
1428:
1397:
1385:
1367:
1366:
1364:
1362:
1347:
1341:
1340:
1338:
1336:
1325:
1319:
1318:
1316:
1314:
1299:
1293:
1283:
1277:
1267:
1261:
1260:
1258:
1256:
1241:
1235:
1234:
1233:. 15 April 2010.
1223:
1217:
1216:
1214:
1212:
1201:
1195:
1194:
1192:
1190:
1179:
1173:
1170:
1164:
1163:
1143:
1137:
1136:
1128:
1122:
1116:
1105:
1099:
1093:
1087:
1081:
1075:
1069:
1063:
1057:
1047:
1041:
1040:
1038:
1036:
1021:
1012:
1011:
1009:
1007:
996:
976:
953:Konstanz Minster
948:Freiburg Minster
902:Wimborne Minster
882:Lytchett Minster
802:Plymouth Minster
748:Dewsbury Minster
679:Wimborne Minster
675:, East Yorkshire
663:, East Yorkshire
661:Beverley Minster
634:Parish churches
580:
80:. Widespread in
21:
1436:
1435:
1431:
1430:
1429:
1427:
1426:
1425:
1401:
1400:
1390:Morris, Richard
1388:
1379:
1376:
1371:
1370:
1360:
1358:
1349:
1348:
1344:
1334:
1332:
1327:
1326:
1322:
1312:
1310:
1301:
1300:
1296:
1284:
1280:
1268:
1264:
1254:
1252:
1243:
1242:
1238:
1225:
1224:
1220:
1210:
1208:
1203:
1202:
1198:
1188:
1186:
1181:
1180:
1176:
1171:
1167:
1148:Midland History
1145:
1144:
1140:
1130:
1129:
1125:
1117:
1108:
1104:, pp. 5–6.
1100:
1096:
1088:
1084:
1080:, pp. 4–5.
1076:
1072:
1064:
1060:
1052:, p. 128;
1048:
1044:
1034:
1032:
1023:
1022:
1015:
1005:
1003:
998:
997:
988:
983:
970:
922:
838:Taunton Minster
808:Preston Minster
778:Halifax Minster
772:Grimsby Minster
742:Croydon Minster
701:Reading Minster
621:Ripon Cathedral
595:Time immemorial
578:
570:Taunton Minster
542:Croydon Minster
498:
456:lesser minsters
416:
267:
262:
144:
90:parish churches
47:honorific title
28:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
1434:
1432:
1424:
1423:
1418:
1413:
1403:
1402:
1399:
1398:
1386:
1375:
1372:
1369:
1368:
1342:
1320:
1294:
1278:
1262:
1236:
1218:
1196:
1174:
1165:
1138:
1123:
1121:, p. 128.
1106:
1094:
1082:
1070:
1058:
1042:
1013:
985:
984:
982:
979:
978:
977:
965:
960:
955:
950:
945:
940:
935:
921:
918:
915:
914:
909:
905:
904:
874:Iwerne Minster
851:
847:
846:
845:
844:
841:
835:
829:
823:
817:
811:
805:
799:
793:
787:
781:
775:
769:
763:
757:
751:
745:
739:
731:
727:
726:
725:
724:
718:
712:
705:
704:
698:
689:
688:Parish church
685:
684:
683:
682:
676:
673:Howden Minster
670:
664:
656:
649:
648:
647:
646:
645:, Lincolnshire
638:
635:
631:
630:
629:
628:
623:
616:
612:
611:
610:
609:
604:
597:
592:
588:
587:
584:
577:
574:
497:
494:
460:field churches
454:; while newer
420:Western Europe
415:
412:
360:, receiving a
266:
263:
261:
258:
243:Venerable Bede
143:
140:
57:in London and
53:in Yorkshire,
26:
24:
14:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1433:
1422:
1419:
1417:
1414:
1412:
1409:
1408:
1406:
1395:
1391:
1387:
1383:
1378:
1377:
1373:
1356:
1352:
1346:
1343:
1330:
1324:
1321:
1308:
1304:
1298:
1295:
1291:
1287:
1282:
1279:
1275:
1271:
1266:
1263:
1250:
1246:
1240:
1237:
1232:
1228:
1222:
1219:
1206:
1200:
1197:
1184:
1178:
1175:
1169:
1166:
1161:
1157:
1153:
1149:
1142:
1139:
1134:
1127:
1124:
1120:
1115:
1113:
1111:
1107:
1103:
1098:
1095:
1091:
1086:
1083:
1079:
1074:
1071:
1067:
1062:
1059:
1055:
1051:
1046:
1043:
1030:
1026:
1020:
1018:
1014:
1001:
995:
993:
991:
987:
980:
974:
969:
966:
964:
961:
959:
958:Salem Minster
956:
954:
951:
949:
946:
944:
943:Essen Minster
941:
939:
936:
934:
933:Basel Minster
931:
930:
929:
927:
919:
913:
910:
906:
903:
899:
895:
891:
890:Kidderminster
887:
883:
879:
875:
871:
867:
863:
859:
855:
852:
848:
842:
839:
836:
833:
830:
827:
824:
821:
820:Stoke Minster
818:
815:
812:
809:
806:
803:
800:
797:
796:Leeds Minster
794:
791:
788:
785:
782:
779:
776:
773:
770:
767:
764:
761:
758:
755:
752:
749:
746:
743:
740:
737:
734:
733:
732:
729:
728:
722:
719:
716:
713:
710:
707:
706:
702:
699:
696:
692:
691:
690:
687:
686:
680:
677:
674:
671:
668:
665:
662:
659:
658:
657:
655:
651:
650:
644:
641:
640:
639:
636:
632:
627:
624:
622:
619:
618:
617:
614:
613:
608:
605:
603:
600:
599:
598:
596:
593:
589:
585:
581:
575:
573:
571:
567:
563:
562:Leeds Minster
559:
555:
551:
547:
543:
539:
535:
531:
527:
523:
520:(2005), and
519:
515:
511:
507:
503:
495:
493:
491:
486:
482:
478:
473:
471:
466:
461:
457:
453:
449:
445:
441:
440:head minsters
437:
433:
429:
425:
421:
413:
411:
409:
404:
400:
396:
392:
388:
384:
380:
376:
372:
371:divine office
367:
363:
362:royal charter
359:
354:
352:
348:
344:
340:
336:
335:Ancient Greek
332:
328:
324:
323:mother church
320:
316:
312:
306:
301:
298:
296:
292:
288:
284:
280:
276:
272:
264:
259:
257:
255:
251:
246:
244:
240:
239:
233:
231:
227:
223:
222:
216:
214:
210:
206:
203:
202:contemplative
199:
195:
190:
187:
182:
178:
174:
171:
167:
164:
160:
152:
148:
141:
139:
137:
133:
128:
126:
122:
118:
114:
109:
107:
103:
99:
95:
91:
87:
83:
79:
75:
71:
67:
62:
60:
56:
52:
48:
44:
38:
34:
30:
19:
1396:. J.M. Dent.
1393:
1381:
1359:. Retrieved
1354:
1345:
1333:. Retrieved
1323:
1311:. Retrieved
1306:
1297:
1289:
1281:
1273:
1265:
1253:. Retrieved
1249:the original
1239:
1230:
1221:
1209:. Retrieved
1199:
1187:. Retrieved
1177:
1168:
1151:
1147:
1141:
1132:
1126:
1097:
1092:, p. 5.
1085:
1073:
1068:, p. 4.
1061:
1056:, p. 4.
1045:
1033:. Retrieved
1028:
1004:. Retrieved
938:Bern Minster
925:
923:
784:Hull Minster
643:Stow Minster
607:York Minster
499:
485:old minsters
484:
474:
459:
455:
448:old minsters
447:
446:; surviving
439:
426:rule, or as
417:
355:
308:
303:
299:
268:
253:
249:
247:
236:
234:
229:
225:
219:
217:
197:
193:
191:
185:
180:
176:
172:
165:
158:
156:
131:
129:
110:
65:
63:
51:York Minster
42:
41:
29:
1361:3 September
1189:16 February
1119:Morris 1989
1050:Morris 1989
1006:16 February
971: [
963:Ulm Minster
898:Westminster
723:, Wiltshire
703:, Berkshire
591:Cathedrals
424:Benedictine
311:Old English
209:Benedictine
194:monasterium
186:Monasterium
177:monasterium
173:monasterium
163:Old English
151:Ulm Minster
1405:Categories
878:Leominster
858:Bedminster
391:Leominster
387:missionary
213:Cistercian
205:regularity
1335:9 October
1102:Foot 2006
1090:Foot 2006
1078:Foot 2006
1066:Foot 2006
1054:Foot 2006
1000:"Minster"
981:Footnotes
894:Upminster
870:Ilminster
862:Exminster
854:Axminster
695:Ashingdon
586:Examples
514:Rotherham
339:monastery
327:cathedral
315:monastery
221:Leechdoms
157:The word
142:Etymology
102:monastery
98:cathedral
64:The term
1392:(1989).
1307:BBC News
1290:BBC News
1274:BBC News
1231:BBC News
1211:12 March
1035:21 April
681:, Dorset
524:(2008).
516:(2004),
512:(2003),
508:(1998),
504:(1994),
502:Dewsbury
481:parishes
395:Bromyard
383:pastoral
379:Ramsgate
366:bookland
283:Alhfrith
125:Somerset
86:parishes
18:Minsters
1374:Sources
1313:13 July
926:Münster
697:, Essex
652:Former
583:Status
538:Grimsby
522:Newport
510:Preston
490:prebend
477:priests
452:hundred
444:diocese
399:Ledbury
351:bishops
343:chapter
319:nunnery
287:Wilfrid
273:led by
260:History
254:Kloster
250:Münster
245:(731).
241:of the
230:mynster
226:mynster
198:mynster
181:mynster
166:mynster
159:minster
132:Münster
121:Taunton
74:charter
66:minster
43:Minster
1135:. OUP.
908:Ruins
840:(2022)
834:(2008)
828:(1998)
822:(2005)
816:(2004)
810:(2003)
804:(2009)
798:(2012)
792:(2011)
786:(2017)
780:(2009)
774:(2010)
768:(2011)
762:(2024)
756:(2004)
750:(1994)
744:(2011)
738:(2013)
403:Viking
325:" or "
279:Oswy's
45:is an
1255:8 May
975:]
518:Stoke
470:tithe
465:tithe
377:near
358:thegn
341:or a
331:Latin
291:Ripon
170:Latin
1363:2022
1337:2015
1315:2017
1257:2013
1213:2009
1191:2009
1037:2022
1008:2009
556:and
458:and
397:and
385:and
321:", "
317:", "
179:and
88:and
1156:doi
536:in
430:or
410:".
285:to
256:".
211:or
119:in
1407::
1353:.
1305:.
1288:,
1272:,
1229:.
1150:.
1109:^
1027:.
1016:^
989:^
973:de
900:,
896:,
892:,
888:,
884:,
880:,
876:,
872:,
868:,
864:,
860:,
856:,
393:,
138:.
123:,
104:,
100:,
1365:.
1339:.
1317:.
1259:.
1215:.
1193:.
1162:.
1158::
1152:X
1039:.
1010:.
406:"
161:(
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
