cathedral school

cathedral school, medieval European school run by cathedral clergy. Originally the function of such schools was to train priests, but later they taught lay students as well—usually boys of noble families being prepared for high positions in church, state, or commercial affairs. Every cathedral had such a school; there were generally fewer than 100 students in a school. Notable cathedral schools during the early European Middle Ages (late 8th and early 9th centuries) were at York, North Yorkshire, Eng.; Orléans, Fr.; and Reims, Fr.