Diocese of Bristol
Encyclopedia
The Diocese of Bristol is a Church of England
diocese
in the Province of Canterbury
, England. It is based in the city of Bristol
and covers South Gloucestershire
and parts of north Wiltshire to Swindon
. The diocese is headed by the Bishop of Bristol
and the Episcopal seat
is located at the Cathedral Church of the Holy and Undivided Trinity, commonly known as Bristol Cathedral
.
The current Bishop of Bristol
is the Right Reverend Mike Hill, and is assisted by the Right Reverend Lee Rayfield
, suffragan Bishop of Swindon
.
, Bristol was part of the medieval Diocese of Worcester
. Under the Suffragan Bishops Act 1534
, Henry Holbeach
was appointed the only suffragan bishop
of Bristol in 1538 and assisted the Bishop of Worcester
in overseeing the medieval diocese. Nearly two years later, Bristol became part of the then newly formed Diocese of Gloucester
in 1541. The following year, the Diocese of Bristol was established on 4 June 1542 and consisted the city of Bristol together the county of Dorset
. The Diocese of Bristol continued until 5 October 1836 when Dorset was annexed to the Diocese of Salisbury
and the remaider, the city of Bristol, formed part of the Diocese of Gloucester and Bristol. After sixty years, a new Diocese of Bristol was created on 7 July 1897, but with different boundaries.
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...
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 Province of Canterbury
Province of Canterbury
The Province of Canterbury, also called the Southern Province, is one of two ecclesiastical provinces making up the Church of England...
, England. It is based in the city of Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
and covers South Gloucestershire
South Gloucestershire
South Gloucestershire is a unitary district in the ceremonial county of Gloucestershire, in South West England.-History:The district was created in 1996, when the county of Avon was abolished, by the merger of former area of the districts of Kingswood and Northavon...
and parts of north Wiltshire to Swindon
Swindon
Swindon is a large town within the borough of Swindon and ceremonial county of Wiltshire, in South West England. It is midway between Bristol, west and Reading, east. London is east...
. The diocese is headed by the Bishop of Bristol
Bishop of Bristol
The Bishop of Bristol heads the Church of England Diocese of Bristol in the Province of Canterbury, in England.The present diocese covers parts of the counties of Somerset and Gloucestershire together with a small area of Wiltshire...
and the Episcopal seat
Cathedra
A cathedra or bishop's throne is the chair or throne of a bishop. It is a symbol of the bishop's teaching authority in the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church, and has in some sense remained such in the Anglican Communion and in Lutheran churches...
is located at the Cathedral Church of the Holy and Undivided Trinity, commonly known as Bristol Cathedral
Bristol Cathedral
The Cathedral Church of the Holy and Undivided Trinity is the Church of England cathedral in the city of Bristol, England, and is commonly known as Bristol Cathedral...
.
The current Bishop of Bristol
Bishop of Bristol
The Bishop of Bristol heads the Church of England Diocese of Bristol in the Province of Canterbury, in England.The present diocese covers parts of the counties of Somerset and Gloucestershire together with a small area of Wiltshire...
is the Right Reverend Mike Hill, and is assisted by the Right Reverend Lee Rayfield
Lee Rayfield
Lee Stephen Rayfield is the current Bishop of Swindon. He was educated at the University of Southampton. After a period as a Lecturer in Immunology at the University of London and of study at Ridley Hall, Cambridge he was ordained a priest in 1994...
, suffragan Bishop of Swindon
Bishop of Swindon
The Bishop of Swindon is an episcopal title used by a suffragan bishop of the Church of England Diocese of Bristol, in the Province of Canterbury, England. The title takes its name after the town of Swindon in Wiltshire.-List of the Bishops of Swindon:...
.
History
Until the ReformationEnglish Reformation
The English Reformation was the series of events in 16th-century England by which the Church of England broke away from the authority of the Pope and the Roman Catholic Church....
, Bristol was part of the medieval Diocese of Worcester
Anglican Diocese of Worcester
The Diocese of Worcester forms part of the Province of Canterbury in England.The diocese was founded in around 679 by St Theodore of Canterbury at Worcester to minister to the kingdom of the Hwicce, one of the many Anglo Saxon petty-kingdoms of that time...
. Under the Suffragan Bishops Act 1534
Suffragan Bishops Act 1534
The Suffragan Bishops Act 1534 was an Act of the Parliament of England that authorised the appointment of suffragan bishops in England and Wales...
, Henry Holbeach
Henry Holbeach
Henry Holbeach was an English clergyman who served as the last Prior and first Dean of Worcester, a suffragan bishop, and diocesan bishop of two Church of England dioceses.-Life:...
was appointed the only 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:...
of Bristol in 1538 and assisted the Bishop of 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...
in overseeing the medieval diocese. Nearly two years later, Bristol became part of the then newly formed Diocese of Gloucester
Diocese of Gloucester
The Diocese of Gloucester is a Church of England diocese based in Gloucester, covering the non-metropolitan county of Gloucestershire. The cathedral is Gloucester Cathedral and the bishop is the Bishop of Gloucester...
in 1541. The following year, the Diocese of Bristol was established on 4 June 1542 and consisted the city of Bristol together the county of Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
. The Diocese of Bristol continued until 5 October 1836 when Dorset was annexed to the Diocese of Salisbury
Diocese of Salisbury
The Diocese of Salisbury is a Church of England diocese in the south of England. The diocese covers Dorset and most of Wiltshire and is a constituent diocese of the Province of Canterbury. The diocese is led by the Bishop of Salisbury and the diocesan synod...
and the remaider, the city of Bristol, formed part of the Diocese of Gloucester and Bristol. After sixty years, a new Diocese of Bristol was created on 7 July 1897, but with different boundaries.