The Bishop of Crediton was originally a prelate

Prelate

A prelate is a high-ranking member of the clergy who is an ordinary or who ranks in precedence with ordinaries. The word derives from the Latin prælatus, the past participle of præferre, which means "carry before", "be set above or over" or "prefer"; hence, a prelate is one set over others.-Related...

 who administered an Anglo-Saxon

Anglo-Saxons

Anglo-Saxon is a term used by historians to designate the Germanic tribes who invaded and settled the south and east of Great Britain beginning in the early 5th century AD, and the period from their creation of the English nation to the Norman conquest. The Anglo-Saxon Era denotes the period of...

 diocese

Diocese

A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...

 in the 10th and 11th centuries, and is presently a suffragan bishop

Suffragan bishop

A suffragan bishop is a bishop subordinate to a metropolitan bishop or diocesan bishop. He or she may be assigned to an area which does not have a cathedral of its own.-Anglican Communion:...

 who assists the diocesan bishop

Diocesan bishop

A diocesan bishop — in general — is a bishop in charge of a diocese. These are to be distinguished from suffragan bishops, assistant bishops, coadjutor bishops, auxiliary bishops, metropolitans, and primates....

.

Diocesan Bishops of Crediton

The Diocese of Crediton was created out of the Diocese of Sherborne in 909 to cover the area of Devon

Devon

Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...

 and Cornwall

Cornwall

Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...

. Crediton

Crediton

Crediton is a town and civil parish in the Mid Devon district of Devon in England. It stands on the A377 Exeter to Barnstaple road at the junction with the A3072 road to Tiverton, about north west of Exeter. It has a population of 6,837...

 was chosen as the site for its cathedral possibly due it having been the birthplace of Saint Boniface

Saint Boniface

Saint Boniface , the Apostle of the Germans, born Winfrid, Wynfrith, or Wynfryth in the kingdom of Wessex, probably at Crediton , was a missionary who propagated Christianity in the Frankish Empire during the 8th century. He is the patron saint of Germany and the first archbishop of Mainz...

 and the existence of a monastery there.

In 1046, Leofric

Leofric, Bishop of Exeter

-Early life:Little is known about Leofric, as his cathedral town was not a centre of historical writing, and he took little part in events outside his diocese. This led to little notice being taken of his life and activities, with only a few charters originating in his household and one listing of...

 became the Bishop of Crediton: following his appointment he decided that the see should be moved to the larger, more culturally significant and defensible walled town of Exeter

Exeter

Exeter is a historic city in Devon, England. It lies within the ceremonial county of Devon, of which it is the county town as well as the home of Devon County Council. Currently the administrative area has the status of a non-metropolitan district, and is therefore under the administration of the...

. In 1050, King Edward the Confessor

Edward the Confessor

Edward the Confessor also known as St. Edward the Confessor , son of Æthelred the Unready and Emma of Normandy, was one of the last Anglo-Saxon kings of England and is usually regarded as the last king of the House of Wessex, ruling from 1042 to 1066....

 authorised that Exeter was to be the seat of the bishop for Devon and Cornwall, and that a cathedral was to be built there for the bishop's throne. Thus, Leofric became the last diocesan Bishop of Crediton and the first Bishop of Exeter

Bishop of Exeter

The Bishop of Exeter is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Exeter in the Province of Canterbury. The incumbent usually signs his name as Exon or incorporates this in his signature....

.

List of the Diocesan Bishops of Crediton
No.	Incumbent	From	Until	Notes
1	Eadwulf of Crediton	c.909	934
2	Æthelgar	934	c.952/53
3	Ælfwold I	953	972
4	Sideman Sideman (bishop) Sideman was a medieval Bishop of Crediton.He was elected to Crediton in 973. He died on 30 April or 1 May or 2 May in 977. According to Byrhtferth of Ramsey, Sideman was a protege of Ælfhere, ealdorman of Mercia. The same source says that Edward the Martyr was fostered by Sideman for a time before...	973	977	Died 30 April 977 or 1 or 2 May 977
5	Ælfric of Crediton Ælfric of Crediton Ælfric was a medieval Bishop of Crediton.He was elected to Crediton between 977 and 979. He died between 986 and 987.-External links:*...	c.977/79	c.986/87
6	Ælfwold II	c.986/87	?
7	Ælfwold III	?	c.1011/15
8	Eadnoth of Crediton	c.1011/15	c.1019/23
9	Lyfing of Winchester Lyfing of Winchester Lyfing of Winchester , also known as Livingus or Lifing, was an Anglo-Saxon prelate who served as Bishop of Worcester, Bishop of Crediton and Bishop of Cornwall.-Life:...	1027	1046	also Bishop of Cornwall Bishop of Cornwall The Bishop of Cornwall was an episcopal title which was used by Anglo Saxons between the 9th and 11th centuries. The bishop's seat was located at the village of St Germans, Cornwall. Later bishops of Cornwall were sometimes referred to as the bishops of St Germans...  and Worcester Bishop of Worcester The Bishop of Worcester is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Worcester in the Province of Canterbury, England. He is the head of the Diocese of Worcester in the Province of Canterbury... ; died March 1046
10	Leofric	1046	1050	Consecrated 19 April 1046; also Bishop of Cornwall Bishop of Cornwall The Bishop of Cornwall was an episcopal title which was used by Anglo Saxons between the 9th and 11th centuries. The bishop's seat was located at the village of St Germans, Cornwall. Later bishops of Cornwall were sometimes referred to as the bishops of St Germans...
In 1050, Bishop Leofric transferred the see to Exeter Diocese of Exeter The Diocese of Exeter is a Church of England diocese covering the county of Devon. It is one of the largest dioceses in England. The Cathedral Church of Saint Peter in Exeter is the seat of the diocesan bishop, the Right Reverend Michael Langrish, Bishop of Exeter. It is part of the Province of... .

Suffragan Bishops of Crediton

The present Bishop of Crediton is a title used by a Church of England

Church of England

The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...

 suffragan bishop

Suffragan bishop

A suffragan bishop is a bishop subordinate to a metropolitan bishop or diocesan bishop. He or she may be assigned to an area which does not have a cathedral of its own.-Anglican Communion:...

 who, along with the Bishop of Plymouth

Bishop of Plymouth (Anglican)

The Anglican Bishop of Plymouth is an episcopal title used by a suffragan bishop of the Church of England Diocese of Exeter, in the Province of Canterbury, England. The title takes its name after the city of Plymouth in Devon....

, assists the Diocesan

Diocese

A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...

 Bishop of Exeter

Bishop of Exeter

The Bishop of Exeter is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Exeter in the Province of Canterbury. The incumbent usually signs his name as Exon or incorporates this in his signature....

 in overseeing the Diocese of Exeter

Diocese of Exeter

The Diocese of Exeter is a Church of England diocese covering the county of Devon. It is one of the largest dioceses in England. The Cathedral Church of Saint Peter in Exeter is the seat of the diocesan bishop, the Right Reverend Michael Langrish, Bishop of Exeter. It is part of the Province of...

.

List of the Suffragan Bishops of Crediton
No.	Incumbent	From	Until	Notes
1	Robert Trefusis Robert Trefusis The Rt Rev Robert Edward Trefusis was the inaugural Suffragan Bishop of Crediton from 1897 to 1930. Born in Bideford on 24 January 1843, he was educated at Cheltenham College and Exeter College, Oxford. Ordained in 1866, he began his ecclesiastical career with a curacy in Buckingham. He was then...	1897	1930
2	William Surtees William Surtees The Rt Rev William Frederick Surtees was an Anglican bishop, the second Suffragan Bishop of Crediton from 1930 to 1954.William Surtees was educated at Bedford School and King's College, Cambridge. Ordained in 1900, he began his ecclesiastical career with a curacy in Lythe...	1930	1954
3	Wilfrid Westall	1954	1974
4	Philip Pasterfield	1974	1984
5	Peter Coleman	1984	1996
6	Richard Hawkins	1996	2004	Formerly Bishop of Plymouth Bishop of Plymouth (Anglican) The Anglican Bishop of Plymouth is an episcopal title used by a suffragan bishop of the Church of England Diocese of Exeter, in the Province of Canterbury, England. The title takes its name after the city of Plymouth in Devon....
7	Bob Evens	2004	present

External links

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