Church or Minster

[jamesnan]

What is the difference between a church and a Minster, is it the area where it is situated, the size of the building, or some other reason?

[mac44]

A Minster is a church that is, or was, attached to a Monastery.

[Jonathan-Joe]

Today, on BBC "Songs of Praise" set in Calderdale, Yorkshire, they mentioned that Halifax Parish Church had been made a Minster. The website http://www.halifaxmin...ury-new-opportunities just says "Then in 2009, Halifax Parish Church became Halifax Minster" with no mention of an associated monastery.
So perhaps it's just a little conceit to make large church buildings sound a bit grander!

[spudqueen]

The parish church in Preston was made into a Minster, possibly when Preston became a city in 2002.

[Jonathan-Joe]

Seems it can just an honorific title - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minster_(church)