Bishops and cathedrals
The head of the Catholic church was the Pope, who lived in Rome. Each see (or district) was under the control of a bishop. Bishops had to make sure that the priests in their sees could read, and that they said Mass at the right times. Bishops took orders from archbishops. The Archbishops of Canterbury and York were the top men in the church in England.
The king picked most of the bishops. He often gave the jobs to his own advisers and friends. Many bishops stayed with the king at court. Some never went near their sees.
The chief church in each see was the cathedral. The cathedrals built in the Middle Ages are some of the finest buildings in England. The cathedrals were bright and colourful inside. The walls were painted, and there were lots of sculptures, and gold and silver ornaments.
Walter Robson: Medieval Britain; Oxford University Press, 1991/2000, page 17