In an extensive history article, which looks at major cathedrals in England, the BBC considers several grand houses of worship and their importance in British life.

"Cathedrals in the Middle Ages weren't the quiet, reverential places of worship we know today. In Lincoln, for example, the central nave or aisle was where pilgrims chatted and shared news; there would have been an elaborately carved stone screen to separate the ordinary people in the nave from the priests and monks worshipping and singing in the choir."

Cathedrals discussed include:

• Salisbury Cathedral
• St Paul's Cathedral
• St Michael's of Coventry
• Winchester Cathedral
• Wells Cathedral
• St Magnus Cathedral
• Lincoln Cathedral