Selby Abbey in the context of Coat of arms of the Washington family

In heraldry, the term star may refer to any star-shaped charge with any number of rays, which may appear straight or wavy, and may or may not be pierced. While there has been much confusion between the two due to their similar shape, a star with straight-sided rays is usually called a mullet in English heraldry, while one with wavy rays is usually called an estoile.

While a mullet may have any number of points, it is presumed to have five unless otherwise specified in the blazon, and pierced mullets are common; estoiles, however, are presumed to have six rays and (as of 1909) had not been found pierced. In Scottish heraldry, an estoile is the same as in English heraldry, but mullet refers only to a mullet pierced (also called a spur revel), while one that is not pierced is called a star.

The Major Churches Network, founded in 1991 as the Greater Churches Network, is a group of Church of England parish churches defined as having exceptional significance, being physically very large (over 1000m footprint), listed as Grade I, II* (or exceptionally II), open to visitors daily, having a role or roles beyond those of a typical parish church, and making a considerable civic, cultural, and economic contribution to their community.

These buildings are often former monastic properties which became parish churches after the English Reformation, or civic parish churches built at a time of great wealth.

Selby is a market town and civil parish in North Yorkshire, England, 12 miles (19.3 km) south of York on the River Ouse. At the 2021 Census, it had a population of 17,193.

The town grew around Selby Abbey, a former Benedictine house whose surviving church is nationally protected. Historic records indicate that Henry I of England was born in the town.