List of Church of England dioceses

Dioceses of the Church of England:
  Province of Canterbury
  Province of York

There are 42 dioceses of the Church of England.[1] These cover England, the Isle of Man, the Channel Islands and a small part of Wales. The Diocese in Europe is also a part of the Church of England,[1] and covers the whole of continental Europe, Morocco and the post-Soviet states.[2] The structure of dioceses within the Church of England was initially inherited from the Catholic Church as part of the Protestant Reformation.[3] During the Reformation a number of new dioceses were founded,[4] but no more were then created until the middle of the 19th century,[5] when dioceses were founded mainly in response to the growing population, especially in the northern industrial cities.[6] The most recent diocese to be established was the Diocese of Leeds, which came into being on 20 April 2014.[7] Prior to that, no new dioceses had been created since 1927. Leeds was created by combining three previous dioceses: the Diocese of Bradford, the Diocese of Ripon and Leeds, and the Diocese of Wakefield.[7]

The 42 current dioceses are divided into two provinces. The Province of Canterbury in the south comprises 30 dioceses and the Province of York in the north comprises 12.[1] The archbishops of Canterbury and York have pastoral oversight over the bishops within their province, along with certain other rights and responsibilities.[8] All of the dioceses have one cathedral each except the Diocese of Leeds, which has three that are considered co-equal. Of all the dioceses, Derby has the smallest cathedral; Derby Cathedral takes up only 10,950 square feet (1,000 m2).[9] One diocese dates back to the 6th century, eight date back to the 7th century, two to the 10th century, five to the 11th century, two to the 12th century, five to the 16th century, seven to the 19th century, and ten to the 20th century. The territories administered by the various dioceses generally accord with the counties as they existed before the Local Government Act 1972.

Dioceses

Diocese[10]
(bishop) 		Coat of arms[11] Province[1] Territory[1] Cathedral[12] Founded[13]
Bath and Wells
(Bishop)
Canterbury Somerset; North Somerset; Bath and North East Somerset; the parish of Thorncombe in Dorset[14] Wells Cathedral[15] 909 (Diocese of Wells)[16]
Birmingham
(Bishop)
Canterbury Birmingham; Sandwell except part of the north; Solihull except part of the east; part of Warwickshire; some parishes in Worcestershire[17] St Philip's Cathedral[18] 1905[19]
Blackburn
(Bishop)
York Lancashire except part of the east and south, Liverpool, and Manchester; some parishes in Wigan[20] Blackburn Cathedral[21] 12 November 1926
(from Manchester)[22]
Bristol
(Bishop)
Canterbury Bristol; southern two-thirds of South Gloucestershire; northern quarter of Wiltshire except part of the north; Swindon except part of the north and south; some parishes in Gloucestershire[23] Bristol Cathedral[24] 1542[25]
Canterbury
(Archbishop)
Canterbury Kent east of Medway[26] Canterbury Cathedral[27] 597[28]
Carlisle
(Bishop)
York Cumbria except Alston Moor (part of the Diocese of Newcastle), and the former Sedbergh Rural District (part of the Diocese of Leeds)[29] Carlisle Cathedral[30] 1133[31]
Chelmsford
(Bishop)
Canterbury Essex except part of the north; part of East London north of the River Thames; part of South Cambridgeshire[32] Chelmsford Cathedral[33] 1914
Chester
(Bishop)
York Cheshire; the Wirral Peninsula; Halton south of the River Mersey; Warrington south of the River Mersey; Trafford except part of the north; Stockport except part of the north and east; the eastern half of Tameside; part of Derbyshire; part of Manchester; part of Flintshire[34] Chester Cathedral[35] 1541
Chichester
(Bishop)
[36] 		Canterbury West Sussex except part of the north; East Sussex except part of the north; part of Kent[37] Chichester Cathedral[38] 1075
Coventry
(Bishop)
Canterbury Coventry; Warwickshire except part of the north, southwest, and south; part of Solihull[39] Coventry Cathedral[40] 1918
Derby
(Bishop)
Canterbury Derbyshire except part of the north; part of Stockport; part of Staffordshire[41] Derby Cathedral[42] 1927[43]
Durham
(Bishop)
York Durham except part of the southwest and north; Gateshead; South Tyneside; Sunderland; Hartlepool; Darlington; Stockton-on-Tees north of the River Tees[44] Durham Cathedral[45] 990
Ely
(Bishop)
Canterbury Cambridgeshire except part of the northwest and south; the western quarter of Norfolk; part of Bedfordshire[46] Ely Cathedral[47] 1109
Europe
(Bishop)
Canterbury Europe except Great Britain and Ireland; Morocco; Turkey; the post-Soviet states in Asia[48] Gibraltar Cathedral[49] 21 August 1842 (Diocese of Gibraltar)[50]
1980 (Diocese in Europe)
Exeter
(Bishop)
Canterbury Devon except part of the southeast and west; Plymouth; Torbay[51] Exeter Cathedral[52] 1050
Gloucester
(Bishop)
Canterbury Gloucestershire except part of the north, south, and east; the northern third of South Gloucestershire; part of Wiltshire; part of southwest Warwickshire; part of southern Worcestershire[53] Gloucester Cathedral[54] 1541
Guildford
(Bishop)
Canterbury The western two-thirds of Surrey south of the River Thames except part of the northeast; part of northeastern Hampshire; part of Greater London; part of West Sussex[55] Guildford Cathedral[56] 1927
Hereford
(Bishop)
Canterbury Herefordshire; the southern half of Shropshire; part of Powys and Monmouthshire[57] Hereford Cathedral[58] 676
Leeds
(Bishop)
York Ripon; Bradford; Leeds; Huddersfield; Wakefield[59] Co-equally:
Ripon Cathedral,
Wakefield Cathedral,
Bradford Cathedral[60] 		20 April 2014 (thereby dissolving the dioceses of Bradford, Ripon and Leeds, and Wakefield)[7]
Leicester
(Bishop)
Canterbury Leicestershire; part of Northamptonshire, Derbyshire, and Warwickshire[61] Leicester Cathedral[62] 1926
Lichfield
(Bishop)
Canterbury Staffordshire except part of the southeast and southwest; the northern half of Shropshire; Wolverhampton; Walsall; the northern half of Sandwell[63] Lichfield Cathedral[64] 664
Lincoln
(Bishop)
Canterbury Lincolnshire; North East Lincolnshire; North Lincolnshire except part of the west[65] Lincoln Cathedral[66] 1074
Liverpool
(Bishop)
York Liverpool; Sefton; Knowsley; St Helens; Wigan except part of the north and east; Halton north of the River Mersey; most of West Lancashire[67] Liverpool Cathedral[68] 1880
London
(Bishop)
Canterbury The City of London; Greater London north of the River Thames except part of the east and north; Surrey north of the Thames; part of Hertfordshire[69] St Paul's Cathedral[70] 601
Manchester
(Bishop)
York Manchester except part of the south; Salford; Bolton; Bury; Rochdale; Oldham; the western half of Tameside; part of Wigan, Trafford, Stockport, and southern Lancashire[71] Manchester Cathedral[72] 1848
Newcastle
(Bishop)
York Northumberland; Newcastle upon Tyne; North Tyneside; part of eastern Cumbria; part of County Durham[73] Newcastle Cathedral[74] 1882
Norwich
(Bishop)
Canterbury Norfolk except part of the west; part of northeastern Suffolk[75] Norwich Cathedral[76] 1096
Oxford
(Bishop)
Canterbury Oxfordshire; Berkshire; Buckinghamshire; part of Hampshire and Hertfordshire[77] Christ Church Cathedral[78] 1542
Peterborough
(Bishop)
Canterbury Northamptonshire except part of the west; Rutland; Peterborough except part of the southeast; part of Lincolnshire[79] Peterborough Cathedral[80] 1541
Portsmouth
(Bishop)
Canterbury The southeastern third of Hampshire; the Isle of Wight[81] Portsmouth Cathedral[82] 1927
Rochester
(Bishop)
Canterbury Kent west of the River Medway except part of the southwest; Medway; most of Bromley Bexley; part of East Sussex[83] Rochester Cathedral[84] 604
St Albans
(Bishop)
Canterbury Hertfordshire except part of the south and west; Bedfordshire except part of the north and west; part of Greater London[85] St Albans Cathedral[86] 1877
St Edmundsbury and Ipswich
(Bishop)
Canterbury Suffolk except part of the northeast; part of Essex[87] St Edmundsbury Cathedral[88] 1914
Salisbury
(Bishop)
Canterbury The southern three quarters of Wiltshire; Dorset except part of the east; part of Hampshire and Devon[89] Salisbury Cathedral[90] 1078
Sheffield
(Bishop)
York Sheffield; Rotherham; Doncaster except part of the southeast; part of North Lincolnshire; part of northeastern Barnsley; part of the East Riding of Yorkshire[91] Sheffield Cathedral[92] 1914
Sodor and Man
(Bishop)
York The Isle of Man[93] Peel Cathedral 1400c. 1400 (English jurisdiction)
447 (first founded)[94]
Southwark
(Bishop)
Canterbury Greater London south of the River Thames except most of Bromley and Bexley and part of the southwest; the eastern third of Surrey[95] Southwark Cathedral[96] 1905
Southwell and Nottingham
(Bishop)
York Nottinghamshire; part of South Yorkshire[97] Southwell Minster[98] 1884
Truro
(Bishop)
Canterbury Cornwall; the Isles of Scilly; part of Devon[99] Truro Cathedral[100] 1877
Winchester
(Bishop)
Canterbury Hampshire except the southeastern quarter and part of the northeast, west, and north; part of eastern Dorset; the Channel Islands[101] Winchester Cathedral[102] 662
Worcester
(Bishop)
Canterbury Worcestershire except part of the south and north; part of Wolverhampton, Sandwell, and northern Gloucestershire[103] Worcester Cathedral[104] 680
York
(Archbishop)
York York; East Riding of Yorkshire except part of the southwest; Kingston upon Hull; Redcar and Cleveland; Middlesbrough; the eastern half of North Yorkshire; Stockton-on-Tees south of the River Tees; part of Leeds[105] York Minster[106] 625

Former dioceses

Diocese
(bishop) 		Coat of arms Province Territory Cathedral Founded Dissolved
Bradford
(Bishop)
York Bradford; Craven District; the former Sedbergh Rural District Bradford Cathedral 25 November 1919 20 April 2014
Gloucester and Bristol
(Bishop)
Canterbury Gloucestershire except part of the north and east; South Gloucestershire; part of northern Wiltshire; part of southwest Warwickshire; part of southern Worcestershire; Bristol; Swindon except part of the north and south Co-equally: Gloucester Cathedral, Bristol Cathedral 6 October 1836 7 July 1897
Ripon and Leeds
(Bishop)
York Part of western and northern Yorkshire; the south Teesdale area Ripon Cathedral 5 October 1836 20 April 2014
Wakefield
(Bishop)
York Wakefield; Barnsley; Kirklees; Calderdale Wakefield Cathedral 18 May 1888 20 April 2014
Westminster
(Bishop)
Canterbury Westminster; Middlesex except Fulham Westminster Abbey 17 December 1540 30 March 1550

Statistics

Source:[107][108] Diocese of Europe excluded.

Diocese Population Area (sq. m.) Pop. density1 Benefices Parishes Churches People per church
Bath & Wells 980,000 1610 600 175 460 557 1,759
Birmingham 1,599,000 290 5420 138 149 180 8,883
Blackburn 1,384,000 930 1480 170 230 276 5,014
Bristol 1,065,000 470 2230 100 167 202 5,272
Canterbury 981,000 970 1020 99 201 313 3,134
Carlisle 498,000 2570 190 104 227 323 1,542
Chelmsford 3,279,000 1530 2130 303 469 575 5,703
Chester 1,677,000 1030 1600 214 264 337 4,976
Chichester 1,704,000 1450 1180 274 348 474 3,595
Coventry 896,000 700 1320 125 204 240 3,733
Derby 1,064,000 990 1080 139 253 312 3,410
Durham 1,475,000 980 1530 169 207 258 5,717
Ely 803,000 1530 500 141 303 327 2,456
Exeter 1,214,000 2570 470 149 484 594 2,044
Gloucester 690,000 1130 610 90 296 377 1,830
Guildford 1,077,000 530 2020 142 160 211 5,104
Hereford 322,000 1650 200 77 338 399 807
Leeds 2,777,000 2630 1060 264 442 580 4,788
Leicester 1,086,000 830 1290 103 245 311 3,492
Lichfield 2,202,000 1730 1270 234 422 542 4,063
Lincoln 1,093,000 2670 410 180 476 622 1,757
Liverpool 1,621,000 390 4130 125 168 233 6,957
London 4,246,000 280 16010 408 402 471 9,015
Manchester 2,233,000 420 5330 175 256 320 6,978
Newcastle 832,000 2100 400 123 170 235 3,540
Norwich 928,000 1800 520 158 554 640 1,450
Oxford 2,511,000 2210 1100 285 609 811 3,096
Peterborough 971,000 1140 830 127 347 379 2,562
Portsmouth 784,000 420 1900 105 132 165 4,752
Rochester 1,375,000 540 2570 171 210 258 5,329
Salisbury 1,148,000 2130 539 164 463 609 1,885
Sheffield 1,278,000 610 2140 141 169 208 6,144
Sodor & Man 86,000 220 390 14 15 38 2,263
Southwark 2,880,000 320 9030 263 295 355 8,113
Southwell & Nottingham 1,152,000 840 1390 151 226 296 3,892
St Albans 1,978,000 1120 1750 187 338 403 4,908
St Eds & Ipswich 684,000 1430 480 111 444 481 1,422
Truro 573,000 1390 420 96 214 298 1,923
Winchester 1,255,000 1130 1100 132 240 352 3,565
Worcester 908,000 670 1350 84 166 273 3,326
York 1,457,000 2670 550 231 441 574 2,538

1persons per square mile

See also

Notes

  1. ^ a b c d e "Dioceses". Church of England. Archived from the original on 17 September 2017. Retrieved 17 August 2014.
  2. ^ "Church Locations". Diocese in Europe. Archived from the original on 24 April 2021. Retrieved 17 August 2014.
  3. ^ Ren 2011, p. 110.
  4. ^ Mullett 2010, p. 11.
  5. ^ Cormack 1984, p. 8.
  6. ^ Galloway 1999, p. 118.
  7. ^ a b c "First New Diocese for More than 85 Years Created on April 20". The Transformation Programme for The Diocese of West Yorkshire and the Dales (Press release). 15 April 2014. Archived from the original on 20 April 2014. Retrieved 16 June 2016.
  8. ^ Wilson 2013, p. 281.
  9. ^ "Cathedral Time". Christ Church, Oxford. 2000. Archived from the original on December 6, 2004.
  10. ^ "List of all Bishops". Crockfords. Archbishops' Council. Archived from the original on 19 April 2005. Retrieved 18 August 2014.
  11. ^ "Diocesan Arms". Trinity Amblecote. Archived from the original on 7 October 2020. Retrieved 18 August 2014.
  12. ^ "List of cathedrals". Crockfords. Archbishops' Council. Archived from the original on 20 April 2005. Retrieved 18 August 2014.
  13. ^ Tate 1969, p. 334.
  14. ^ The Church of England Year Book 2014, p. 5.
  15. ^ Historic England. "Wells Cathedral (196971)". Research records (formerly PastScape). Retrieved 16 June 2016.
  16. ^ Livingstone, Sparks & Peacocke 2013, p. 55.
  17. ^ The Church of England Year Book 2014, p. 9.
  18. ^ Foster 2005, p. 40.
  19. ^ Jones 2012, p. 27.
  20. ^ The Church of England Year Book 2014, p. 12.
  21. ^ Pepin 2004, p. 38.
  22. ^ "No. 33220". The London Gazette. 12 November 1926. p. 7321.
  23. ^ The Church of England Year Book 2014, p. 18.
  24. ^ The Monthly Review from May to August Inclusive. Hurst & Robinson. 1830. p. 141.
  25. ^ Nicholls & Taylor 1881, p. 239.
  26. ^ The Church of England Year Book 2014, p. 21.
  27. ^ Weaver & Caviness 2013, p. 11.
  28. ^ Cummings 2007, p. 1.
  29. ^ The Church of England Year Book 2014, p. 25.
  30. ^ Bond 2007, p. 43.
  31. ^ Livingstone, Sparks & Peacocke 2013, p. 95.
  32. ^ The Church of England Year Book 2014, p. 28.
  33. ^ Pepin 2004, p. 50.
  34. ^ The Church of England Year Book 2014, p. 32.
  35. ^ Pepin 2004, p. 52.
  36. ^ "Insignia and shield of the Diocese". Diocese of Chichester. Archived from the original on 27 January 2021. Retrieved 18 August 2014.
  37. ^ The Church of England Year Book 2014, p. 35.
  38. ^ Pepin 2004, p. 55.
  39. ^ The Church of England Year Book 2014, p. 38.
  40. ^ Pepin 2004, p. 58.
  41. ^ The Church of England Year Book 2014, p. 41.
  42. ^ Pepin 2004, p. 60.
  43. ^ "No. 33290". The London Gazette. 1 July 1927. p. 4207.
  44. ^ The Church of England Year Book 2014, p. 45.
  45. ^ Pepin 2004, p. 62.
  46. ^ The Church of England Year Book 2014, p. 49.
  47. ^ Pepin 2004, p. 65.
  48. ^ The Church of England Year Book 2014, p. 52.
  49. ^ "The Cathedral of The Holy Trinity Gibraltar". Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, Gibraltar. Archived from the original on 1 March 2021. Retrieved 1 October 2014.
  50. ^ "Our History". Diocese in Europe. Archived from the original on 3 June 2016. Retrieved 17 June 2016.
  51. ^ The Church of England Year Book 2014, p. 55.
  52. ^ Pepin 2004, p. 68.
  53. ^ The Church of England Year Book 2014, p. 60.
  54. ^ Pepin 2004, p. 70.
  55. ^ The Church of England Year Book 2014, p. 63.
  56. ^ Pepin 2004, p. 73.
  57. ^ The Church of England Year Book 2014, p. 66.
  58. ^ Pepin 2004, p. 75.
  59. ^ "Maps and Information about Deaneries and Parishes". Diocese of Leeds. Archived from the original on 15 August 2016. Retrieved 13 July 2016.
  60. ^ "The Dioceses of Bradford, Ripon and Leeds and Wakefield Reorganisation Scheme 2013" (PDF). Church of England. 2013. p. 4. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 February 2014. Retrieved 1 October 2014.
  61. ^ The Church of England Year Book 2014, p. 69.
  62. ^ Pepin 2004, p. 77.
  63. ^ The Church of England Year Book 2014, p. 73.
  64. ^ Pepin 2004, p. 79.
  65. ^ The Church of England Year Book 2014, p. 77.
  66. ^ Pepin 2004, p. 82.
  67. ^ The Church of England Year Book 2014, p. 80.
  68. ^ Pepin 2004, p. 84.
  69. ^ The Church of England Year Book 2014, p. 83.
  70. ^ Pepin 2004, p. 90.
  71. ^ The Church of England Year Book 2014, p. 87.
  72. ^ Pepin 2004, p. 93.
  73. ^ The Church of England Year Book 2014, p. 91.
  74. ^ Pepin 2004, p. 95.
  75. ^ The Church of England Year Book 2014, p. 94.
  76. ^ Pepin 2004, p. 99.
  77. ^ The Church of England Year Book 2014, p. 97.
  78. ^ Pepin 2004, p. 103.
  79. ^ The Church of England Year Book 2014, p. 101.
  80. ^ Pepin 2004, p. 108.
  81. ^ The Church of England Year Book 2014, p. 105.
  82. ^ Pepin 2004, p. 110.
  83. ^ The Church of England Year Book 2014, p. 112.
  84. ^ Pepin 2004, p. 115.
  85. ^ The Church of England Year Book 2014, p. 115.
  86. ^ Pepin 2004, p. 118.
  87. ^ The Church of England Year Book 2014, p. 118.
  88. ^ Pepin 2004, p. 123.
  89. ^ The Church of England Year Book 2014, p. 121.
  90. ^ Pepin 2004, p. 126.
  91. ^ The Church of England Year Book 2014, p. 124.
  92. ^ Pepin 2004, p. 129.
  93. ^ The Church of England Year Book 2014, p. 127.
  94. ^ Buchanan 2006, p. 288.
  95. ^ The Church of England Year Book 2014, p. 129.
  96. ^ Pepin 2004, p. 131.
  97. ^ The Church of England Year Book 2014, p. 133.
  98. ^ Pepin 2004, p. 133.
  99. ^ The Church of England Year Book 2014, p. 136.
  100. ^ Pepin 2004, p. 135.
  101. ^ The Church of England Year Book 2014, p. 143.
  102. ^ Pepin 2004, p. 142.
  103. ^ The Church of England Year Book 2014, p. 147.
  104. ^ Pepin 2004, p. 145.
  105. ^ The Church of England Year Book 2014, p. 150.
  106. ^ Pepin 2004, p. 147.
  107. ^ "Dioceses". www.crockford.org.uk. Archived from the original on 2017-10-23. Retrieved 2017-10-22.
  108. ^ "Statistics for Mission 2022" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2024-02-14. Retrieved 2024-05-08.

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