Bishop of Worcester

{{Short description|Diocesan bishop in the Church of England}} {{for|the Catholic bishopric in Worcester, Massachusetts|Roman Catholic Diocese of Worcester}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2015}} {{Use British English|date=January 2015}} {{Infobox diocese | bishopric = Worcester | border = anglican | coat = Diocese of Worcester arms.svg | coat_size = 200 | coat_caption = Arms of the Bishop of Worcester: ''Argent, ten torteaux gules, four, three, two and one''<ref>Debrett's Peerage, 1968, p.1167</ref> | incumbent = Hugh Nelson | incumbent_note = since 17 January 2026 | image = Bishop to the Forces Hugh Nelson (cropped).jpg  | province = Canterbury | residence = The Old Palace, Worcester  | established = 680 | cathedral = Worcester Cathedral | first_incumbent = Bosel | diocese = Worcester  }} {{Portal|Christianity}}

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.<ref>{{Harvnb|Fryde|Greenway|Porter|Roy|1986}}, ''Handbook of British Chronology'', p. 223.</ref><ref name=newadventworcester>{{Catholic|no-icon=1|prescript=|wstitle=Ancient Diocese of Worcester}}</ref> 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.<ref>[http://www.cofe-worcester.org.uk/ Diocese of Worcester: Homepage]. Retrieved on 10 December 2008.</ref> 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.<ref>[http://www.worcestercathedral.co.uk/ Worcester Cathedral: Homepage]. Retrieved on 10 December 2008.</ref> The bishop's official residence is the Old Palace, Worcester.<ref>[http://www.anglicancommunion.org/tour/diocese.cfm?Idind=233&view=alpha Provincial Directory: Worcester]. ''Anglican Communion''. Retrieved on 10 December 2008.</ref> 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.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-07-29 |title=Appointment of Bishop of Worcester |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/appointment-of-bishop-of-worcester-29-july-2025 |access-date=2025-08-05 |website=GOV.UK |publisher=Prime Minister's Office |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Worcester |first=Diocese of |title=Next Bishop of Worcester announced - Diocese of Worcester |url=https://www.cofe-worcester.org.uk/news/next-bishop-of-worcester-announced.php |access-date=2025-07-31 |website=www.cofe-worcester.org.uk |language=en}}</ref> His installation service took place in January 2026.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Worcester |first=Diocese of |title=Welcoming our new Bishop of Worcester - Diocese of Worcester |url=https://www.cofe-worcester.org.uk/news/welcoming-our-new-bishop-of-worcester.php |access-date=2025-07-31 |website=www.cofe-worcester.org.uk |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Giddings |first1=Andy |title=New bishop looks forward to meeting communities |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/crkr634ld4zo |access-date=18 January 2026 |work=BBC News}}</ref>

==List of bishops==

=== Pre-Conquest === {| class="wikitable" style="width:95%;" ! colspan="4" style="background-color: #7F1734; color: white;"|Bishops of Worcester |- ! style="background-color:#D4B1BB" width="10%"|From ! style="background-color:#D4B1BB" width="10%"|Until ! style="background-color:#D4B1BB" width="30%"|Incumbent ! style="background-color:#D4B1BB" width="45%"|Notes

|-valign=top bgcolor="#F7F0F2" |align="center"| 718 |align="center"| {{Circa}}744 | '''Wilfrith''' ''(I.)'' | Also recorded as Wilfrid

|-valign=top bgcolor="white" |align="center"| {{Circa}}743 |align="center"| {{Circa}}775 | '''Milred''' | Also recorded as Mildred and Hildred

|-valign=top bgcolor="white" |align="center"| 777 |align="center"| {{Circa}}780/81 | '''Tilhere''' | |-valign=top bgcolor="#F7F0F2" |align="center"| 781 |align="center"| {{Circa}}799 | '''Heathured''' | Also recorded as Hathored, AEthelred and Æthelred

|-valign=top bgcolor="white" |align="center"| {{Circa}}799 |align="center"| 822 | '''Denebeorht''' | Also recorded as Deneberht

|-valign=top bgcolor="#F7F0F2" |align="center"| 822 |align="center"| {{Circa}}845/48 | '''Heahbeorht''' | Also recorded as Heahberht and Eadbert

|-valign=top bgcolor="white" |align="center"| {{Circa}}845/48 |align="center"| 872 | '''Ealhhun''' | Also recorded as Alwin

|-valign=top bgcolor="#F7F0F2" |align="center"| 1016 |align="center"| 1033 | '''Leofsige''' | |-valign=top bgcolor="white" |align="center"| 1033 |align="center"| 1038 | '''Beorhtheah''' | |-valign=top bgcolor="#F7F0F2" |align="center"| {{Circa|1038/39}} |align="center"| 1040 | '''Lyfing''' (1st term) | Deprived from Worcester; also Bishop of Crediton and Cornwall (1027–1046)

|-valign=top bgcolor="white" | align=center colspan="4"| Source(s):<ref name="newadventworcester"/><ref name=crockfordsweb480>{{cite web |url=http://www.crockford.org.uk/listing.asp?id=480 |title=Historical successions: Worcester |work=Crockford's Clerical Directory |access-date=14 July 2012}}</ref><ref>{{Harvnb|Fryde|Greenway|Porter|Roy|1986}}, ''Handbook of British Chronology'', pp. 223–224, and 278.</ref> |}

=== Conquest to Reformation === {| class="wikitable" style="width:95%;" ! colspan="4" style="background-color: #7F1734; color: white;"|Bishops of Worcester |- ! style="background-color:#D4B1BB" width="10%"|From ! style="background-color:#D4B1BB" width="10%"|Until ! style="background-color:#D4B1BB" width="30%"|Incumbent ! style="background-color:#D4B1BB" width="45%"|Notes

|-valign=top bgcolor="#F7F0F2" |align="center"| 1443 |align="center"| 1476 | '''John Carpenter''' | Nominated in 1443; consecrated in 1444; resigned the See in 1476; apparently used the style ''"Bishop of Worcester and Westbury"''<ref>[http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/4729 Oxford DNB – Carpenter, John] (Accessed 20 February 2014)</ref><ref>[http://british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=40286 A History of the County of Gloucester: Volume 2. College: The College of Westbury-on-Trym] (Accessed 20 February 2014)</ref>

|-valign=top bgcolor="#F7F0F2" |align="center"| 1522 |align="center"| 1535 | 60px '''Girolamo Ghinucci''' | Deprived of the See by Henry VIII when the king broke with Rome; later in 1535 Ghinucci was created a cardinal.<ref>[https://cardinals.fiu.edu/bios1535.htm#Ghinucci Cardinal Girolamo Ghinucci] . ''The Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church''. Retrieved on 10 December 2008.</ref>

|-valign=top bgcolor="white" | align=center colspan="4"| Source(s):<ref name="newadventworcester"/><ref name="crockfordsweb480"/><ref>{{Harvnb|Fryde|Greenway|Porter|Roy|1986}}, ''Handbook of British Chronology'', pp. 278–280.</ref><ref name=fasti1066vol2worcbps>{{Harvnb|Greenway|1971}}, "[http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=33881 Bishops of Worcester]", ''Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae 1066–1300: Volume 2'', pp. 99–102.</ref><ref name=fasti1300vol4worcbps>{{Harvnb|Jones|1962}}, "[http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=32732 Bishops of Worcester]", ''Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae 1300–1541: Volume 4'', pp. 55–58.</ref> |}

=== During the Reformation === {| class="wikitable" style="width:95%;" ! colspan="4" style="background-color: #7F1734; color: white;"|Bishops of Worcester |- ! style="background-color:#D4B1BB" width="10%"|From ! style="background-color:#D4B1BB" width="10%"|Until ! style="background-color:#D4B1BB" width="30%"|Incumbent ! style="background-color:#D4B1BB" width="45%"|Notes

|-valign=top bgcolor="#F7F0F2" |align="center"| 1552 |align="center"| 1554 | 60px '''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.<ref>{{Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae|period=1541–1857|volume=7|pages=105–109}}</ref><ref>{{Cite ODNB|id=13706|title=Hooper, John}}</ref><ref>{{cite EB1911|wstitle= Hooper, John | volume= 13 | pages = 675–676 |last1= Pollard |first1= Albert Frederick }}</ref><ref>{{cite DNB|wstitle=Hooper, John|volume=27}}</ref>

|-valign=top bgcolor="white" | align=center colspan="4"| Source(s):<ref name="newadventworcester"/><ref name="crockfordsweb480"/><ref name="fasti1300vol4worcbps"/><ref>{{Harvnb|Fryde|Greenway|Porter|Roy|1986}}, ''Handbook of British Chronology'', p. 280.</ref><ref name=fasti1541vol7worcbps>{{Harvnb|Horn |1996}}, "[http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=35280 Bishops of Worcester]", ''Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae 1541–1857: Volume 7'', pp. 105–109.</ref> |}

=== Post-Reformation === {| class="wikitable" style="width:95%;" ! colspan="4" style="background-color: #7F1734; color: white;"|Bishops of Worcester |- ! style="background-color:#D4B1BB" width="10%"|From ! style="background-color:#D4B1BB" width="10%"|Until ! style="background-color:#D4B1BB" width="30%"|Incumbent ! style="background-color:#D4B1BB" width="45%"|Notes

|-valign=top bgcolor="#F7F0F2" |align=center| 1646 |align=center| 1660 |colspan=2| The see was abolished during the Commonwealth and the Protectorate.<ref>[http://bcw-project.org/church-and-state/sects-and-factions/episcopalians Episcopacy] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131113164355/http://bcw-project.org/church-and-state/sects-and-factions/episcopalians |date=13 November 2013 }}. ''British Civil Wars, Commonwealth and Protectorate 1638–60''. Retrieved on 25 April 2021.</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last=King |first=Peter |date=July 1968 |title=The Episcopate during the Civil Wars, 1642–1649 |journal=The English Historical Review |volume= 83 |issue= 328 |pages=523–537 |publisher=Oxford University Press |doi=10.1093/ehr/lxxxiii.cccxxviii.523|jstor=564164 }}</ref>

|-valign=top bgcolor="#F7F0F2" |align="center"| 1902 |align="center"| 1905 | 60px '''Charles Gore'''<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=27389|date=20 December 1901|page=8979}}</ref> | Translated to Birmingham; and later to Oxford

|-valign=top bgcolor="#F7F0F2" |align="center"| 1941 |align="center"| 1955 | 60px '''William Wilson Cash''' | |-valign=top bgcolor="white" |align="center"| 1956 |align="center"| 1971 | 60px '''Mervyn Charles-Edwards''' | |-valign=top bgcolor="#F7F0F2" |align="center"| 1971 |align="center"| 1981 | 60px '''Robin Woods''' | |-valign=top bgcolor="white" |align="center"| 1982 |align="center"| 1996 | 60px '''Philip Goodrich''' <ref>[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2001/01/29/db02.xml The Rt Revd Philip Goodrich]{{dead link|date=July 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}. ''The Daily Telegraph'', first published: 22 November 2001.</ref> | Previously Bishop of Tonbridge (1973–1982)

|-valign=top bgcolor="white" |colspan="2" align="center"| ''2007 (acting)'' | 60px ''David Walker'' | Bishop of Dudley. Episcopal commissary (acting diocesan bishop) during interregnum.<ref>{{Cite news | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/hereford/worcs/7086461.stm | title=Trust chaplaincy service secured| date=2007-11-09}}</ref>

|-valign=top bgcolor="#F7F0F2" |align="center"| 2007 |align="center"| 2024 | 60px '''John Inge''' | Retired 9 October 2024.<ref>{{cite web |website=Diocese of Worcester |title=Bishop John to retire |date=2 May 2024 |url=https://cofe-worcester.org.uk/news/bishop-john-to-retire.php |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240601083154/https://cofe-worcester.org.uk/news/bishop-john-to-retire.php |archive-date=1 June 2024 |access-date=7 June 2024 }}</ref>

|-valign=top bgcolor="white" |align="center"| ''2024–2026'' |align="center"| ''acting'' | 60px ''Martin Gorick, Bishop of Dudley'' | Acting diocesan bishop during vacancy in See, from 9 October 2024.<ref>{{cite web |date=9 March 2023 |title=Bishop Martin becomes Acting Bishop of Worcester |url=https://www.cofe-worcester.org.uk/news/bishop-martin-becomes-acting-bishop-of-worcester.php |access-date=13 October 2024 |website=The Diocese of Worcester }}</ref>

|-valign=top bgcolor="white" | align=center colspan="4"| Source(s):<ref name="crockfordsweb480"/><ref name="fasti1541vol7worcbps"/><ref>{{Harvnb|Fryde|Greenway|Porter|Roy|1986}}, ''Handbook of British Chronology'', pp. 280–281.</ref> |}

==Assistant bishops== Among those who have served as assistant bishops of the diocese are: *1936{{snd}}1944 (d.): Ridley Duppuy, Canon Residentiary of Worcester Cathedral, Archdeacon of Worcester (from 1938), Vice-Dean of Worcester (from 1940) and former Bishop of Victoria<ref>{{Who's Who |id=U224932 |title=Duppuy, Charles Ridley}}</ref> *1946{{snd}}January 1953 (ret.): Bertram Lasbrey, Rector of St Andrew's &c. Worcester and former Bishop on the Niger<ref>{{Who's Who |id=U156569 |title=Lasbrey, Bertram}}</ref> *1953{{snd}}1965 (ret.): Cyril Stuart, Rector of St Andrew's &c. Worcester (until 1965), Canon of Worcester thereafter, and former Bishop of Uganda<ref>{{Who's Who |id=U169581 |title=Stuart, Cyril Edgar}}</ref> *1968{{snd}}1991 (ret.): Nicholas Allenby, former Bishop of Kuching<ref>{{Who's Who |id=U170811 |title=Allenby, David Howard Nicholas}}</ref> *1989{{snd}}2008 (d.): Kenneth Woollcombe, assistant priest in Upton Snodsbury (1989–?), former Bishop of Oxford and Assistant Bishop of London for Westminster<ref>{{Church Times | title = Woollcombes to leave London | archive = 1989_04_21_003 | issue = 6584 | date = 21 April 1989 | page = 3 | accessed = 15 February 2021 }}</ref>

== References == === Footnotes === {{Reflist}}

=== Bibliography === {{refbegin}} * {{cite book |editor1-last=Fryde |editor1-first=E. B. |editor2-last=Greenway |editor2-first=D. E. |editor3-last=Porter |editor3-first=S. |editor4-last=Roy |editor4-first=I. |title=Handbook of British Chronology |edition=3rd, reprinted 2003 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |location=Cambridge |year=1986 |isbn=978-0-521-56350-5 }} * {{cite book |last=Greenway |first=D. E. |year=1971 |title=Monastic Cathedrals (Northern and Southern Provinces) |url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/source.aspx?pubid=123 |series=Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae 1066–1300 |volume=2 |publisher=British History Online }} * {{cite book |last1=Horn |first1=J. M. |year=1996 |title=Ely, Norwich, Westminster and Worcester Dioceses |url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/source.aspx?pubid=148 |series=Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae 1541–1857 |volume=7 |publisher=British History Online }} * {{cite book |last=Jones |first=B. |year=1962 |title=Monastic Cathedrals (Southern Province) |url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/source.aspx?pubid=133 |series=Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae 1300–1541 |volume=4 |publisher=British History Online }} {{refend}}

==External links== *[http://www.cofe-worcester.org.uk/ Diocese of Worcester]

Category:Bishops of Worcester Worcester Bishops of Worcester Category:Christianity in Worcester, England  Category:Christianity in Worcestershire Category:Anglican Diocese of Worcester Category:680 establishments