The Bishop of Winchester is the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Winchester in the Church of England. The bishop's seat (cathedra) is at Winchester Cathedral in Hampshire.
The Bishop of Winchester has always held ex officio the office of Prelate of the Most Noble Order of the Garter since its foundation in 1348. except during the period of the Commonwealth until the Restoration of the Monarchy.Charles Dodd (1844) Manual of Dignities, from the Revolution to the Present Day p.45 Bishops of Winchester also often held the positions of Lord Treasurer and Lord Chancellor ex officio.
During the Middle Ages, the Diocese of Winchester was one of the wealthiest English sees, and its bishops have included a number of politically prominent Englishmen, notably the 9th century Saint Swithun and medieval magnates including William of Wykeham and Henry of Blois.
The Bishop of Winchester is appointed by the Crown, and is one of five Church of England bishops who sit ex officio among the 26 Lords Spiritual in the House of Lords, regardless of their length of service. Philip Mounstephen has been the Bishop of Winchester since 10 October 2023.
The Diocese of Winchester is one of the oldest and most important in England. Originally it was the episcopal see of the kingdom of Wessex or the West Saxons, with its cathedra at Dorchester Cathedral near Oxford under Saints Birinus and Agilbert. The cathedral at Dorchester was founded in AD 634 by Birinius, a Roman missionary. The see was transferred to Winchester in AD 660.
Winchester was divided in AD 909, with Wiltshire and Berkshire transferring to the new See of Ramsbury. Nevertheless, the domains of the Bishop of Winchester ran from the south coast to the south bank of the River Thames at Southwark, where the bishop had one of his palaces, making it one of the largest as well as one of the richest sees in the land. In more modern times, the former extent of the Diocese of Winchester was reduced by the formation of a new diocese of Southwark in south London, a new diocese of Guildford in Surrey and a new diocese of Portsmouth in Hampshire. The most recent loss of territory was in 2022 when the Channel Islands were removed from the diocese of Winchester after a dispute with Bishop Tim Dakin led to a breakdown in relations. The Channel Islands were transferred to the Diocese of Salisbury by an Order in Council made under the Channel Islands Measure 2020.
Traditionally, in the general order of precedence before 1533, the Bishop of Winchester was given precedence over all other diocesan bishops - that is, the first English bishop in rank behind the archbishops of Canterbury and York. But in 1533, Henry VIII of England raised the rank of the Bishop of London and the Bishop of Durham, relegating Winchester to third (but still above other remaining diocesan bishops). The order of precedence was implicitly recognised by the Bishoprics Act 1878.
The Report of the Commissioners appointed by his Majesty to inquire into the Ecclesiastical Revenues of England and Wales (1835) found the Winchester see was the third wealthiest in England, after Canterbury and London, with an annual net income of £11,151.The National Cyclopaedia of Useful Knowledge Vol.III, London, Charles Knight, 1847, p.362
The official residence of the Bishop of Winchester is Wolvesey Palace in Winchester. Historic homes of the bishops included Wolvesey Castle, Farnham Castle, Bishop's Waltham Palace and Winchester Palace in Southwark. The bishop is the visitor to five Oxford colleges, namely Magdalen College, New College, St John's College, Trinity College, and Corpus Christi College.
Recent history The former bishop of Winchester, Tim Dakin, was enthroned on 21 April 2012, having been elected on 14 October 2011. He was consecrated as a bishop at St Paul's Cathedral, London, on 25 January 2012. On 20 May 2021, it was reported that Dakin had "stepped back" as diocesan bishop for six weeks, in light of the threat of a diocesan synod motion of no confidence in his leadership. David Williams, Bishop of Basingstoke, also "stepped back" and Debbie Sellin, Bishop of Southampton, served as acting diocesan bishop. Dakin's leave was later extended to the end of August 2021. He retired on 6 February 2022.
Debbie Sellin continued as acting diocesan bishop during the vacancy, with retired bishop Richard Frith serving as the Archbishop's Episcopal Commissary in the diocese. In July 2023, it was announced that Philip Mounstephen would be the next Bishop of Winchester and that he was to leave his post at Truro in autumn 2023. Debbie Sellin remained acting diocesan bishop pending Mounstephen's election (which took place on 11 September) and confirmation on 10 October.
List of bishops
Saxon to Norman Bishops of DorchesterFromUntilIncumbentNotes 634 650 Birinus Sent from Rome by the pope, founded missionary diocese; Saint Birinius 650 660 Agilbert Resigned.Bishops of WinchesterFromUntilIncumbentNotes660663Winealso had his See at Dorchester670before 676Leuthere676?705HæddeCanonized744Daniel744betw. 749–756Hunfrith756betw. 759–778Cyneheardbetw. 759–778betw. 759–778Æthelheardbetw. 759–778betw. 781–785Ecgbaldbetw. 781–785betw. 781–785Duddbetw. 781–785betw. 801–803Cyneberhtbetw. 801–803betw. 805–814Ealhmundbetw. 805–814836Wigthegnbefore 825836HerefrithNever attests without Wigthegn.betw. 833–838838Eadhun838 or 839betw. 844–853Helmstan852 or 853betw. 862–865SwithunCanonized. Patron saint of Winchester.betw. 862–867betw. 871–877Ealhferthbetw. 871–877878 or 879Tunbeorht878 or 879908Denewulf909932 or 933FrithestanCanonized931934BeornstanCanonized934 or 935951Ælfheah (I)951959Ælfsige (I)Translated to Canterbury960963BeorhthelmPossibly translated from Selsey963984Æthelwold (I)Canonized9841006Ælfheah (II)Translated to Canterbury. Canonized.1006Cenwulf10061012Æthelwold (II)10121032Ælfsige (II)10321047Ælfwine10471070StigandTranslated from Elmham. Held Winchester with Canterbury 1052–1070.Footnote(s): and Source(s):, Handbook of British Chronology, 3rd Edition, p. 223.
Norman to Reformation FromUntilIncumbentNotes10701098Walkelin11001129William Giffard11291171Henry of Blois11731188Richard of Ilchester11891204Godfrey de Luci1205(Richard Poore)Election quashed12051238Peter des Roches12381239(Ralph Neville)Election quashed12401250William de RaleyTranslated from Norwich12501260Aymer de Valence12611262(Andrew of London)Election quashed12611262(William de Taunton)Election quashed12621268John Gervais12681280Nicholas of Ely1280(Robert Burnell)Election quashed June 1280.12801282(Richard de la More)Never consecrated, resigned June 1282.12821304John of Pontoise13051316Henry Woodlock13161319John Sandale13191323Rigaud of Assier13231333John de StratfordTranslated to Canterbury13331345Adam OrletonTranslated from Worcester13451366William Edington13661404 William of WykehamChancellor of England; founder of Winchester College and of New College, Oxford14041447 Cardinal Henry Beaufort Translated from Lincoln; Appointed Cardinal by Pope Martin V; The Bishop of Winchester in Shakespeare's First Part of Henry the Sixth14471486 William Waynflete14871492Peter CourtenayTranslated from Exeter14931501Thomas LangtonTranslated from Salisbury15011528 Richard FoxeTranslated from Durham15291530 Cardinal Thomas WolseyArchbishop of York. Held in commendam the see of Winchester.Source(s):, Handbook of British Chronology, 3rd Edition, pp. 276–277., Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae 1066–1300: Volume 2, pp. 85–87., Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae 1300–1541: Volume 4, pp. 45–47.
During the Reformation FromUntilIncumbentNotes15311551 Stephen Gardiner (1st tenure)15511553John PonetTranslated from Rochester15531555 Stephen Gardiner (2nd tenure)15561559John WhiteTranslated from LincolnSource(s):, Handbook of British Chronology, 3rd Edition, p. 277.
Post-Reformation FromUntilIncumbentNotes15601580 Robert Horne15801584 John Watson15841594 Thomas CooperTranslated from Lincoln15941595 William WickhamTranslated from Lincoln15951596 William Day15971616 Thomas BilsonTranslated from Worcester1616 1618 James MontagueTranslated from Bath and Wells16181626 Lancelot AndrewesTranslated from Ely16271632 Richard NeileTranslated from Durham, later translated to York16321646 Walter CurleTranslated from Bath and Wells. Deprived 1646, and died 1647. 1646 1660 The see was abolished during the Commonwealth and the Protectorate.16601662 Brian DuppaTranslated from Salisbury16621684 George MorleyTranslated from Worcester16841706 Peter MewsTranslated from Bath and Wells17071721 Sir Jonathan TrelawnyTranslated from Exeter17211723 Charles TrimnellTranslated from Norwich17231734 Richard WillisTranslated from Salisbury17341761 Benjamin HoadlyTranslated from Salisbury17611781 John ThomasTranslated from Salisbury17811820 Brownlow NorthTranslated from Worcester18201827 Sir George Pretyman Tomline, Bt.Translated from Lincoln18271869 Charles SumnerTranslated from Llandaff18691873 Samuel WilberforceTranslated from Oxford18731891 Harold BrowneTranslated from Ely18911895 Anthony ThoroldTranslated from Rochester18951903 Randall DavidsonTranslated from Rochester, later translated to Canterbury19031911 Herbert Edward RyleTranslated from Exeter19111923 Edward TalbotTranslated from Southwark19231932 Theodore WoodsTranslated from Peterborough1932 1942 Cyril GarbettTranslated from Southwark, later translated to York19421952 Mervyn HaighTranslated from Coventry19521961 Alwyn WilliamsTranslated from Durham19611975 Falkner AllisonTranslated from Chelmsford19751985 John Taylor19851995 Colin JamesTranslated from Wakefield19952011 Michael Scott-JoyntTranslated from Stafford20122022 Tim Dakin20222023Debbie Sellin, Bishop of Southampton and acting diocesan bishop20222023Richard Frith, Archbishop's Episcopal Commissary former Bishop of Hereford2023present Philip Mounstephen Translated from Truro; confirmed 10 October 2023.Source(s):, Handbook of British Chronology, 3rd Edition, pp. 277–278., Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae 1541–1857: Volume 3, pp. 80–83.
Assistant bishops
Among those who have served as assistant bishops of the diocese are: 1457–1486 (d.): William Westkarre, Prior of Mottisfont Abbey (1451–d.), titular Bishop of Sidon/Zeitun and Assistant Bishop of Canterbury (1480);Hierarchia Catholica Medii Aevi: II p. 238Les Ordinations Épiscopales, Year 1457, Number 21 sometime head of St Mary's College, Oxford (); elected Prior of Holy Trinity Priory, Aldgate, 1445, but put aside; later a canon of Burscough Priory. 1885–1887 (res.): Francis Cramer-Roberts, Vicar of Milford-on-Sea and former Bishop of Nassau 1921–1922 (d.): James Macarthur, Archdeacon of the Isle of Wight (since 1906) and Assistant Bishop for the island; former Bishop of Southampton 1947–1962 (ret.): Leslie Lang, Archdeacon of Winchester and Canon Residentiary of Winchester Cathedral, and former Bishop of Woolwich 1963–1973 (ret.): Nigel Cornwall, Canon Residentiary of Winchester Cathedral and former Bishop of Borneo 1982–1990 (ret.): Hassan Dehqani-Tafti, former Bishop in Iran and President Bishop, Episcopal Church in Jerusalem and the Middle East 1996–2020 (d.) John Dennis, Honorary Assistant Bishop in the Diocese of Winchester and formerly Bishop of Knaresborough and Bishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich
See also Deans of Winchester The Bishop of Winchester Academy
Footnotes
Sources References
Bibliography