A cathedral is a place where a bishop has his throne. This comes down to us from the days of St Augustine. During Saxon times some religious groups were formed that were not made of monks. The head of these people could not be an abbot, as abbots are leaders of monks. The leader of these other people was a bishop. The word bishop means 'overseer'.

York and Canterbury were among the large churches that had bishops from early days.

Cathedrals became large churches of the people, while abbeys became churches of monks, who retreated from daily life.

When Henry VIII ordered the breakup of the Catholic churches, he destroyed most of the abbey churches or renamed them as cathedrals, but left the city churches - the original cathedrals - alone. That is why many abbeys stand in ruins and cathedrals do not.

The video shows York Minster.