Donate SIGN UP
Home > Phrases & Sayings > What is the difference between a city and a town?

What is the difference between a city and a town?

Avatar Image
johnk | 13:23 Mon 13th Sep 2010 | Phrases & Sayings
23 Answers
What is the difference between a city and a town? Some towns seem to be bigger than some cities!!
prev What is the meaning of the Latin phrase Obit. coelum
  
next rhyming slang
Gravatar

Answers

1 to 20 of 23rss feed

1 2 Next Last

Best Answer

No best answer has yet been selected by johnk. Once a best answer has been selected, it will be shown here.

For more on marking an answer as the "Best Answer", please visit our FAQ.
Avatar Image squarebear
It used to be a city had to have a cathedral. Not sure if this is still the case.
13:24 Mon 13th Sep 2010
Avatar Image GetOverIt
A Royal Charter is the manner in which a British town is raised to the rank of city
13:27 Mon 13th Sep 2010
-- answer removed --
Avatar Image B00
Dunno, but Mr Boo and I had a heated 10 minutes arguing whether Blackpool was a city or a town the other day. Wiki came to my rescue and he's now sleeping in the shed :-)
13:28 Mon 13th Sep 2010
Avatar Image ChuckFickens
The traditional definition is a city has a cathedral, but the Queen can also bestow city status on any town regardless of there being a cathedral in it or not.
13:29 Mon 13th Sep 2010
Avatar Image johnk
Question Author
Thanks everyone, looks like there are 2 definitions.
13:31 Mon 13th Sep 2010
Avatar Image Maggoty
A town can have a cathedral (we have one) - but we still don't have city status so not all with cathedrals are cities

x
16:41 Mon 13th Sep 2010
Avatar Image ABerrant
http://en.wikipedia.o...in_the_United_Kingdom
16:45 Mon 13th Sep 2010
-- answer removed --
Avatar Image Count-A-Strong
Ely is a city (because it has a cathedral)
16:58 Mon 13th Sep 2010
Avatar Image ABerrant
Ely was for a long time informally considered to be a "city" by virtue of being the seat of a diocese. In 1974 the status was confirmed by Royal charter and is the third smallest city in England after Wells in Somerset and the City of London.

http://en.wikipedia.o...i/Ely,_Cambridgeshire
16:59 Mon 13th Sep 2010
Avatar Image ABerrant
Towns can have cathedrals also.
17:00 Mon 13th Sep 2010
Avatar Image mollykins
Or they can be upgraded if a university is built there (I think).
17:40 Mon 13th Sep 2010
Avatar Image boxtops
It certainly used to be the cathedral which identified it, but Brighton & Hove is a city now, and they don't have one. Seems arbitrary now - are there benefits associated with having city status?
17:42 Mon 13th Sep 2010
Avatar Image bednobs
i don't think there are ANY cities in my county
17:44 Mon 13th Sep 2010
Avatar Image mollykins
I don't think there are any cities in my county, do you live in Suffolk too bednobs?
17:45 Mon 13th Sep 2010
Avatar Image bednobs
no, berkshire
19:50 Mon 13th Sep 2010
Avatar Image sara3
I'm in Ye Olde City of St Albans
19:52 Mon 13th Sep 2010
Avatar Image marval
I live in Milton Keynes, all the signs say the city of Milton Keynes, but is isn't one.
19:55 Mon 13th Sep 2010
Avatar Image Old_Geezer
I think you just need firends in high places.
Usually the criteria to get something you want.
19:57 Mon 13th Sep 2010

1 to 20 of 23rss feed

1 2 Next Last

Do you know the answer?

What is the difference between a city and a town?

Answer Question >>