Cathedrals of the New Foundation
Cathedrals Of The New Foundation are those which were, before the Reformation, held by Benedictines, or by Austin canons, as Oxford, Bristol, and Carlisle, or as Ripon and Manchester had been collegiate churches. The chapter consists only of residentiaries, who, till the recent act, were called prebendaries; the corps of the prebend being the dividend or yearly income of each stall. The minor canons were originally equal in number to the major canons; and out of their number the precentor and sacrist are annually chosen.