City status in the United Kingdom This policy, which was not at the time made public, had the effect of stemming the number of city creations. The 1907 policy contained three criteria: However, well into the 20th century it was often assumed that the presence of a cathedral was sufficient to elevate a town to city status, and that for cathedral cities the city charters were recognising its city status rather than granting it. On this basis, the 1911 "Encyclopædia Britannica" said that Southwell and St Asaph were cities. The policy laid down by Edward VII was continued by his successor, George V, who ascended the
City status in the United Kingdom that it is the largest town in England. The government-published "Key Statistics for Built-Up Areas 2011" show that the following are the largest urban areas in the United Kingdom not having a city as a component. The name shown is the largest town in the area: See List of urban areas in the United Kingdom for further examples. The largest local authorities to have applied for city status in the recent competitions are: Since being the seat of an Anglican diocese is no longer sufficient or necessary to gain city status, some cathedral towns exist: The 1911 "Encyclopædia Britannica" refers