Bishop of Worcester

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For the Catholic bishopric in Worcester, Massachusetts, see Roman Catholic Diocese of Worcester.

Bishop of Worcester
Bishopric
anglican
Coat of arms of the {{{name}}}
Arms of the Bishop of Worcester: Argent, ten torteaux gules, four, three, two and one[1]
Incumbent:
vacant
(acting: Martin Gorick, Bishop of Dudley
bishop-designate: Hugh Nelson, Bishop of St Germans and Bishop to the Forces)
Location
Ecclesiastical provinceCanterbury
ResidenceThe Old Palace, Worcester
Information
First holderBosel
Established680
DioceseWorcester
CathedralWorcester Cathedral

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The Bishop of Worcester is the head of the Church of England Diocese of Worcester in the Province of Canterbury, England. The title can be traced back to the foundation of the diocese in the year 680.[2][3] From then until the 16th century, the bishops were in full communion with the Catholic Church. During the Reformation, the church in England broke away from the authority of the Pope and the Catholic Church, at first temporarily and later more permanently. Since the Reformation, the Bishop and Diocese of Worcester has been part of the Church of England and the Anglican Communion.

The diocese covers most of the county of Worcestershire, including the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley and parts of the City of Wolverhampton.[4] The Episcopal see is in the city of Worcester where the bishop's throne is located at the Cathedral Church of Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary.[5] The bishop's official residence is the Old Palace, Worcester.[6] The bishops had two residences outside the city: Hartlebury Castle near Kidderminster from the 13th century to 2007 and a palace at Alvechurch until it was pulled down in the 17th century.

From the elevations of Oswald of Worcester in 961 at Worcester and 972 at York, until 1023 the see was usually held jointly with the (then rather poorer) Archbishopric of York.

On 29th July 2025, it was announced that Hugh Nelson, the current Bishop suffragan of St Germans in the Diocese of Truro — and Bishop to the Forces —, would be the next Bishop of Worcester.[7][8] It is expected that his installation service will take place in January 2026.[9]

List of bishops

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Pre-Conquest

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Bishops of Worcester
From Until Incumbent Notes
680 691 Bosel Resigned the See
691 693 Oftfor
693 717 Ecgwine of Evesham Also recorded as Ecgwin, Egwin and Eegwine
718 c.744 Wilfrith (I.) Also recorded as Wilfrid
c.743 c.775 Milred Also recorded as Mildred and Hildred
775 777 Waermund Also recorded as Wærmund
777 c.780/81 Tilhere
781 c.799 Heathured Also recorded as Hathored, AEthelred and Æthelred
c.799 822 Denebeorht Also recorded as Deneberht
822 c.845/48 Heahbeorht Also recorded as Heahberht and Eadbert
c.845/48 872 Ealhhun Also recorded as Alwin
873 915 Werferth Also recorded as Waerfrith, Wærferth, Werfrith and Waerfrith
915 922 Æthelhun
922 929 Wilfrith (II.)
fl.929 957 Koenwald Also recorded as Cenwald and Coenwald
957 959 Dunstan Previously Abbot of Glastonbury; translated to London; and later to Canterbury
961 992 Oswald Held both Worcester and York ( 971–992)
992 1002 Ealdwulf Previously Abbot of Peterborough; held both Worcester and York (995–1002)
1002 1016 Wulfstan (I.) Translated from London; also Archbishop of York (1002–1023)
1016 1033 Leofsige
1033 1038 Beorhtheah
c. 1038/39 1040 Lyfing (1st term) Deprived from Worcester; also Bishop of Crediton and Cornwall (1027–1046)
1040 1041 Ælfric Puttoc Also Archbishop of York, 1023–1041; deprived from both
1041 1046 Lyfing (2nd term) Restored to Worcester
1046 1061 Ealdred Translated from Hereford; later to York
1062 1095 Wulfstan (II.) Canonized on 14 May 1203 by Pope Innocent III
Source(s):[3][10][11]

Conquest to Reformation

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Bishops of Worcester
From Until Incumbent Notes
1096 1112 Samson
1113 1123 Theulf Nominated in 1113; consecrated in 1115
1125 1150 Simon
1151 1157 John de Pageham
1158 1160 Alured
1163 1179 Roger Also recorded as Roger of Gloucester
1180 1185 Baldwin Translated to Canterbury
1185 1190 William of Northall
1191 1193 Robert FitzRalph Previously Archdeacon of Nottingham
1193 1195 Henry de Sully Previously Abbot of Glastonbury Abbey
1196 1198 John of Coutances
1199 1212 Mauger Elected in 1199, but quashed by Pope Innocent III; later postulated to the See; consecrated in 1200
1213 1214 Randulf of Evesham (bishop-elect) Elected in December 1213, but quashed by the Papal legate, Niccolò de Romanis, in January 1214
1214 1216 Walter de Gray Translated to York
1216 1218 Sylvester Also recorded as Sylvester of Evesham
1218 1236 William de Blois
1237 1266 Walter de Cantilupe
1266 1268 Nicholas of Ely Formerly Archdeacon of Ely;translated to Winchester
1268 1302 Godfrey Giffard
1302 John St German (bishop-elect) Elected in March 1302, but quashed in October 1302
1302 1307 William Gainsborough
1307 1313 Walter Reynolds Translated to Canterbury
1313 1317 Walter Maidstone
1317 1327 Thomas Cobham Previously Archbishop-elect of Canterbury in 1313
1327 Wulstan Bransford (bishop-elect) Elected bishop but was quashed; later elected in 1339
1327 1333 Adam Orleton Translated from Hereford; later to Winchester
1333 1337 Simon Montacute Translated to Ely
1337 1338 Thomas Hemenhale Translated from Norwich
1339 1349 Wulstan Bransford
1349 1353 John of Thoresby Translated from St David's; later to York
1352 1361 Reginald Brian Translated from St David's
1362 1363 John Barnet Translated to Bath and Wells; and later to Ely
1363 1368 William Whittlesey Translated from Rochester; later to Canterbury
1368 1373 William Lenn Translated from Chichester
1373 1375 Walter Lyghe (bishop-elect) Elected in 1373, but quashed in 1375
1375 1395 Henry Wakefield
1394 1401 Robert Tideman of Winchcombe Translated from Llandaff
1401 1407 Richard Clifford Previously Bishop-elect of Bath and Wells; later translated to London
1407 1419 Thomas Peverel Translated from Llandaff
1419 1426 Philip Morgan Translated to Ely
1425 1433 Thomas Poulton Translated from Chichester
1433 1435 Thomas Brunce (bishop-elect) Elected bishop, but never consecrated; later became Bishop of Rochester
1434 1443 Thomas Bourchier Translated to Ely; and later to Canterbury
1443 1476 John Carpenter Nominated in 1443; consecrated in 1444; resigned the See in 1476; apparently used the style "Bishop of Worcester and Westbury"[12][13]
1476 1486 John Alcock Translated from Rochester; later to Ely
1486 1497 Robert Morton Nominated in 1486; consecrated in 1487
1497 1498 Giovanni de' Gigli
1498 1521 Silvestro de' Gigli
1521 1522 File:Raffaello, ritratto di papa leone X tra i cardinali luigi de' rossi e giulio de' medici, 1518, 02.jpg Giulio di Giuliano de' Medici Appointed apostolic administrator of the See of Worcester in 1521 and resigned in 1522; also Archbishop of Florence and Narbonne and Bishop of Eger; he was elected as Pope Clement VII in 1523.[14]
1522 1535 File:1535 HIERONYMUS DE GINUTIIS - GHINUCCI GIROLAMO.JPG Girolamo Ghinucci Deprived of the See by Henry VIII when the king broke with Rome; later in 1535 Ghinucci was created a cardinal.[15]
Source(s):[3][10][16][17][18]

During the Reformation

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Bishops of Worcester
From Until Incumbent Notes
1535 1539 File:Hugh Latimer from NPG.jpg Hugh Latimer Resigned the See
1539 1543 File:No image.svg John Bell
1543 1551 File:Nicholas Heath by Hans Eworth.jpg Nicholas Heath (1st term) Translated from Rochester; deprived of the See
1552 1554 File:John Hooper by Henry Bryan Hall after James Warren Childe cropped.jpg John Hooper Translated from Gloucester, 20 May 1552 when Gloucester was reunited to Worcester; called "Bishop of Worcester and Gloucester" and "of Gloucester and Worcester"; deprived of the See.[19][20][21][22]
1554 1555 File:Nicholas Heath by Hans Eworth.jpg Nicholas Heath (2nd term) Restored to the See; later translated to York
1555 1559 File:No image.svg Richard Pate Deprived of the See.
Source(s):[3][10][18][23][24]

Post-Reformation

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Bishops of Worcester
From Until Incumbent Notes
1559 1570 File:Edwin Sandys from NPG.jpg Edwin Sandys Translated to London; and later to York
1570 (designate) File:No image.svg James Calfhill Archdeacon of Colchester (1565–1570). Allegedly nominated by Queen Elizabeth I, but died before election.
1571 1576 File:No image.svg Nicholas Bullingham Translated from Lincoln
1577 1583 File:Bp John Whitgift.jpg John Whitgift Translated to Canterbury
1584 1591 File:No image.svg Edmund Freke Translated from Norwich
1593 1595 File:No image.svg Richard Fletcher Translated from Bristol; later to London
1596 1597 File:Bp Thomas Bilson.jpg Thomas Bilson Translated to Winchester
1597 1610 File:Bishop Gervase Babington by Simon De Passe.jpg Gervase Babington Translated from Exeter
1610 1616 File:Marcus Gheeraerts I (Attr) - Portrait of Henry Parry, Bishop of Worcester.jpeg Henry Parry Translated from Gloucester
1617 1641 File:John Thornborough from NPG (crop).jpg John Thornborough Translated from Bristol
1641 1646 File:JohnPrideaux.jpg John Prideaux Deprived of the see when the English episcopacy was abolished by Parliament on 9 October 1646.
1646 1660 The see was abolished during the Commonwealth and the Protectorate.[25][26]
1660 1662 File:GeorgeMorley.jpg George Morley Translated to Winchester
1662 File:JohnGauden.jpg John Gauden Translated from Exeter
1662 1663 File:John Earle from NPG.jpg John Earle Translated to Salisbury
1663 1670 File:No image.svg Robert Skinner Translated from Bristol
1671 1675 File:Bp Walter Blandford.jpg Walter Blandford Translated from Oxford
1675 1683 File:No image.svg James Fleetwood
1683 1689 File:No image.svg William Thomas Translated from St David's
1689 1699 File:Edward Stillingfleet by Mary Beale.jpg Edward Stillingfleet
1699 1717 File:WilliamLloydBpOfStAsaph.jpg William Lloyd Translated from Lichfield and Coventry
1717 1743 File:John Hough portrait.jpg John Hough Translated from Lichfield and Coventry
1743 1759 File:No image.svg Isaac Maddox Translated from St Asaph
1759 1774 File:Bp James Johnson, Hartlebury.jpg James Johnson Translated from Gloucester
1774 1781 File:Bp Brownlow North by Henry Howard.jpg Brownlow North Translated from Lichfield and Coventry; later to Winchester
1781 1808 File:Richard-Hurd,-Bishop-of-Worcester.jpg Richard Hurd Translated from Lichfield and Coventry
1808 1831 File:Folliott Herbert Walker Cornewall by William Owen.jpg Folliott Cornewall Translated from Hereford
1831 1841 File:Robert James Carr.jpg Robert Carr Translated from Chichester
1841 1860 File:Henry Pepys NGS.jpg Henry Pepys Translated from Sodor and Man
1861 1890 File:Henry Philpott.jpg Henry Philpott
1890 1901 File:Bp John Perowne.jpg John Perowne Resigned
1902 1905 File:Charles Gore NPG.jpg Charles Gore[27] Translated to Birmingham; and later to Oxford
1905 1918 File:Bishop-Huyshe.jpg Huyshe Yeatman-Biggs Translated from Southwark; later to Coventry
1919 1931 File:No image.svg Ernest Pearce
1931 1941 File:No image.svg Arthur Perowne Translated from Bradford
1941 1955 File:No image.svg William Wilson Cash
1956 1971 File:No image.svg Mervyn Charles-Edwards
1971 1981 File:No image.svg Robin Woods
1982 1996 File:No image.svg Philip Goodrich [28] Previously Bishop of Tonbridge (1973–1982)
1997 2007 File:No image.svg Peter Selby Previously Bishop of Kingston-upon-Thames (1984–1992). Also Bishop to HM Prisons (2001–2007)
2007 (acting) File:NWHLRC unveiling (David Walker cropped).jpg David Walker Bishop of Dudley. Episcopal commissary (acting diocesan bishop) during interregnum.[29]
2007 2024 File:Official portrait of The Lord Bishop of Worcester crop 2.jpg John Inge Retired 9 October 2024.[30]
2024 acting File:No image.svg Martin Gorick, Bishop of Dudley Acting diocesan bishop during vacancy in See, since 9 October 2024.[31]
2026 bishop-designate File:No image.svg Hugh Nelson Also Bishop to the Forces; currently Bishop of St Germans
Source(s):[10][24][32]

Assistant bishops

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Among those who have served as assistant bishops of the diocese are:

References

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Footnotes

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  1. ^ Debrett's Peerage, 1968, p.1167
  2. ^ Fryde et al. 1986, Handbook of British Chronology, p. 223.
  3. ^ a b c d Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  4. ^ Diocese of Worcester: Homepage. Retrieved on 10 December 2008.
  5. ^ Worcester Cathedral: Homepage. Retrieved on 10 December 2008.
  6. ^ Provincial Directory: Worcester. Anglican Communion. Retrieved on 10 December 2008.
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  11. ^ Fryde et al. 1986, Handbook of British Chronology, pp. 223–224, and 278.
  12. ^ Oxford DNB – Carpenter, John (Accessed 20 February 2014)
  13. ^ A History of the County of Gloucester: Volume 2. College: The College of Westbury-on-Trym (Accessed 20 February 2014)
  14. ^ Cardinal Giulio de' Medici . The Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church. Retrieved on 10 December 2008.
  15. ^ Cardinal Girolamo Ghinucci . The Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church. Retrieved on 10 December 2008.
  16. ^ Fryde et al. 1986, Handbook of British Chronology, pp. 278–280.
  17. ^ Greenway 1971, "Bishops of Worcester", Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae 1066–1300: Volume 2, pp. 99–102.
  18. ^ a b Jones 1962, "Bishops of Worcester", Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae 1300–1541: Volume 4, pp. 55–58.
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  23. ^ Fryde et al. 1986, Handbook of British Chronology, p. 280.
  24. ^ a b Horn 1996, "Bishops of Worcester", Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae 1541–1857: Volume 7, pp. 105–109.
  25. ^ Episcopacy. British Civil Wars, Commonwealth and Protectorate 1638–60. Retrieved on 25 April 2021.
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  28. ^ The Rt Revd Philip Goodrich[dead link]. The Daily Telegraph, first published: 22 November 2001.
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  32. ^ Fryde et al. 1986, Handbook of British Chronology, pp. 280–281.
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Bibliography

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