[Bell Historians] Minsters

[Richard Offen]

--- In bellhistorians at yahoogroups.com, "LOVE, Dickon" 
<dickon.love at a...> wrote:
> "Minster - The word is derived from Latin monasterium and was used 
for the
> church belonging to a monastry or a chapter. Not that there is a 
monastry
> round here that I know of. Preston has indeed only just become a 
Minster in
> line with the awarding of city status to Preston."
> 
> All sounds a bit contrived to me, a bit like awarding yourself a
> professorship or buying a title off the internet...
> 
> DrL
> 

I had always assumed that the word had a monastic connection and that 
was why I was mystified as to how Preston and Bishopwearmouth had 
managed to achieve the title. Who conferred it upon these two 
newcomers, the diocesan authorities?

R