# Bishop of Lichfield

The Bishop of Lichfield is the ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Lichfield in the Province of Canterbury. The diocese covers 4,516 km$^2$ (1,744 sq. mi.) of the counties of Powys, Staffordshire, Shropshire, Warwickshire and West Midlands. The bishop's seat is located in the Cathedral Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Chad in the city of Lichfield. The Bishop's residence is the Bishop's House, Lichfield, in the cathedral close. In the past, the title has had various forms (see below). The current bishop is Michael Ipgrave, following the confirmation of his election on 10 June 2016.

## History

The diocese of Mercia was founded 656 with Diuma as its first bishop; according to Bede he was at the same time the Bishop of Lindisfarne and of the Middle Angles, amongst whom he died. When Chad was made Bishop in 669, his seat was at Lichfield, thus the diocese was named after that city. In 691 the area over which the bishop held authority was divided to form the smaller dioceses of Lichfield, Leicester, Lindsey, Worcester and Hereford.
It was briefly the seat of an archbishop under Hygeberht from 787 to 799 (officially dissolved in 803) during the ascendancy of the kingdom of Mercia. Offa, King of Mercia seemed to resent his own bishops paying allegiance to the Archbishop of Canterbury in Kent who, whilst under Offa's control, was not of his own kingdom of Mercia. Offa therefore created his own archbishopric in Lichfield, who presided over all the bishops from the Humber to the Thames, in 786, with the consent of Pope Adrian I. The Pope's official representatives were received warmly by Offa and were present at the Council of Chelsea (787), often called 'the contentious synod', where it was proposed that the Archbishopric of Canterbury be restricted in order to make way for Offa's new archbishop. It was vehemently opposed, but Offa and the papal representatives defeated Jænberht, Archbishop of Canterbury, installing Hygeberht as the new Archbishop of Lichfield. Pope Adrian sent Hygeberht his ceremonial garment, obviously denoting his support for this move. In gratitude, Offa promised to send an annual shipment of gold to the pope for alms and supplying the lights in St. Peter's church in Rome. However the Archbishopric of Lichfield only lasted for 16 years, ending after Offa's death, when at the Fifth Council of Clovesho its dioceses were restored to Æthelhard, Archbishop of Canterbury by Pope Leo III.
The bishop's seat was briefly moved to Chester in 1075, but by 1102 was in Coventry. From 1228 Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield became the official title with seats at both cathedrals, though various older names remained in common usage.
After the Reformation of the 1530s the cathedral at Coventry was demolished, and after the Restoration of Charles II in 1660 the bishop used the style Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry. In 1837 the ancient bishopric was divided. The archdeaconry of Coventry (comprising northern and eastern Warwickshire) was transferred to the see of Worcester and the style Bishop of Lichfield adopted.

## List of bishops

Bishop of the Mercians :
| From | Until | Incumbent | Notes |
| ? | aft 655 | Diuma | Dwyna; Duma. |
| dates unclear | dates unclear | Ceollach | Cellach, a Scot; resigned and returned to Scotland. |
| c658 | c 662 | Trumhere | Trumhere, Abbot of Ingethling. |
| c 662 | c 667 | Jaruman | |
| Bishop of the Mercians and Lindsey people (based at Lichfield) ||||
| 669 | 672 | Chad | Saint Chad; Ceadda. Translated from York. After his consecration was first declared invalid and then restored; died in office. |
| Bishops of Lichfield ||||
| 672 | c674 | Winfrith | Winfride; Winfrid. Deprived by Theodore, Archbishop of Canterbury. |
| c 676 | bef 692 | Seaxwulf | Saxulf; Sexulf. Abbot of Medeshamstede (Peterborough); Saint Sexwulf. |
| 691 | bet 716–727 | Headda | Headdi; Eatheadus of Sidnacester. |
| bef 731 | 737 | Aldwine | Aldwyn; Aldwini. |
| 737 | bet 749–767 | Witta | Huitta. |
| bef 757 | 765 | Hemele | Hemel. |
| c 765 | c 769 | Cuthfrith | Cuthred; died in office. |
| c 769 | bet 777–779 | Berhthun | Died in office. |
| 779 | 787 | Hygeberht | Higbert; created Archbishop by King Offa in 787. |
| Archbishop of Lichfield ||||
| 787 | 799 | Hygeberht | Higbert; Bishop until 787. |
| Bishops of Lichfield ||||
| From | Until | Incumbent | Notes |
| bet 799–801 | bet 814–816 | Ealdwulf | Adulphus; title of Archbishop laid aside. |
| bet 814–816 | bet 817–818 | Herewine | |
| 818 | 830 | Æthelwold | |
| 830 | bet 830–836 | Hunberght | Humbert II. |
| bet 830–836 | bet 841–845 | Cynefrith | Cumbert; Cineferth; Saint Cumbert. |
| bet 843–845 | bet 857–862 | Tunberht | Tunbright; Tunfrith; Tumfriht. |
| bet 857–862 | bet 866–869 | Wulfsige | |
| bet 866–869 | bet 875–883 | Eadberht | or perhaps Burgheard |
| bet 875–883 | bet 889–900 | Wulfred | |
| bet 889–900 | bet 909–915 | Wilferth | or Wigmund; omitted from Haydn's. |
| bet 903–915 | bet 935–941 | Ælfwine | |
| bet 935–941 | bet 946–949 | Wulfgar | |
| bet 946–949 | bet 963–964 | Cynesige | Kinsey; Kynsy; Kinsius. |
| bet 963–964 | 975 | Wynsige | Winsey; Winsius. |
| 975 | bet 1002–1004 | Elphege | |
| bet 1002–1004 | after 1017 | Godwin | |
| after 1017 | bet 1026–1027 | Leofgar | Leosgar. |
| c 1027 | 1039 | Brihtmær | Brithmar. |
| 1039 | 1053 | Wulfsige | Wulsy. |
| 1053 | 1067 | Leofwin | Abbot of Coventry. |
| 1067 | 1075 | Peter | In accordance with the decree of the Council of London (1075), removed see to Chester. |
| Bishops of Chester ||||
| 1075 | 1085 | Peter | |
| 1086 | 1102 | Robert de Limesey | Prebendary of St Paul's; removed see to Coventry. |
| Bishops of Coventry ||||
| From | Until | Incumbent | Notes |
| 1102 | 1117 | Robert de Limesey | As above, title change only; died in office. |
| 1117 | 1121 | Vacant for 4 years | Vacant for 4 years |
| 1121 | 1126 | Robert Peche | Robert Pecham. Chaplain to Henry I; died in office. |
| 1126 | 1129 | Vacant for 2 years | Vacant for 2 years |
| 1129 | 1148 | Roger de Clinton, Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry | Also called Bishop of Lichfield & Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield. |
| 1149 | 1159 | Walter Durdent | |
| 1161 | 1182 | Richard Peche | |
| 1183 | 1184 | Gerard la Pucelle | |
| 1184 | 1188 | Vacant | Vacant |
| 1188 | 1198 | Hugh Nonant | |
| 1198 | 1208 | Geoffrey de Muschamp | |
| 1208 | 1215 | Vacant due to interdict by Pope Innocent III against King John's realms. | Vacant due to interdict by Pope Innocent III against King John's realms. |
| 1215 | 1223 | William de Cornhill | |
| 1224 | 1228 | Alexander de Stavenby | Became Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield. |
| Bishops of Coventry and Lichfield ||||
| From | Until | Incumbent | Notes |
| 1228 | 1238 | Alexander de Stavenby | Previously Bishop of Coventry. |
| 1239 | 1239 | William de Raley | William Raleigh; elected by both the chapter of Coventry and that of Lichfield but being also elected Norwich he accepted that office. |
| 1239 | 1239 | Nicholas Farnham | Elected by the Chapter of Coventry but did not take office, later Bishop of Durham. |
| 1239 | 1239 | William de Manchester | Dean of Lichfield; elected by the Chapter of Lichfield but did not take office |
| 1239 | December 1241 | Hugh de Pateshull | Lord Treasurer; accepted after much controversy between the two chapters and at Henry III's request; confirmed 25 December 1239; died in office. |
| December 1241 | 8 December 1241 | Richard le Gras | Abbot of Evesham, elected but declined office or died before the disputed election was resolved. |
| December 1241 | 1245 | Vacant | Vacant |
| 1243 | 1243 | Robert de Monte Pessulano | Elected but refused the appointment, finding the election disagreeable to Henry III. |
| 1245 | 1256 | Roger Weseham | Dean of Lincoln; appointed by Pope Innocent IV. |
| 1258 | 1295 | Roger de Meyland | Roger Longespée; Roger de Molend. |
| 1296 | 1321 | Walter Langton | Lord Treasurer and Lord Chancellor. |
| 1322 | 1358 | Roger Northburgh | Roger de Northbrugh; Archdeacon of Richmond; Lord Keeper and Lord Treasurer. |
| 1360 | 1385 | Robert de Stretton | Canon of Lichfield. |
| 1386 | 1386 | Walter Skirlaw | Dean of St Martin's; translated to Bath & Wells. |
| 1386 | 1398 | Richard le Scrope | Translated to York. |
| 1398 | 1414 | John Burghill | Translated from Llandaff. |
| 1415 | 1419 | John Catterick | John Keterich; translated from St Davids; translated to Exeter. |
| 1419 | 1419 | James Cary | translated to Exeter but died before taking office thereof. |
| 20 November 1420 | 13 March 1447 | William Heyworth | |
| 1447 | 1452 | William Booth | Prebendary of St Paul's, London; translated to York. |
| 1452 | 1452 | Nicholas Close | Translated from Carlisle; Chancellor of Cambridge. |
| 1453 | 1459 | Reginald Boulers | Translated from Hereford. |
| 1459 | 1490 | John Hales | John Halse. Prebendary of St Paul's, London. |
| 1493 | 1496 | William Smyth | Archdeacon of Surrey; translated to Lincoln. |
| 1496 | 1502 | John Arundel | Dean of Exeter; translated to Exeter. |
| 1503 | 1531 | Geoffrey Blythe | Geoffry Blyth. Dean of York. |
| 1534 | 1539 | Rowland Lee | Chancellor and Prebendary of Lichfield and Lord President of Wales. Title changed when Coventry Cathedral was dissolved. |
| Bishops of Lichfield and Coventry ||||
| From | Until | Incumbent | Notes |
| 1539 | 1543 | Rowland Lee | Previously Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield, before the Dissolution of the Monasteries. |
| 1543 | 1554 | Richard Sampson | Translated from Chichester; Lord President of Wales. |
| 1554 | 1559 | Ralph Baines | The last Roman Catholic Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry; deprived and died soon after. |
| 1560 | 1579 | Thomas Bentham | Fellow of Magdalen College, Oxford. |
| 1580 | 1609 | William Overton | Prebendary of Winchester and Salisbury. |
| 1609 | 1610 | George Abbot | Dean of Winchester; translated to London. |
| 1610 | 1614 | Richard Neile | Translated from Rochester; translated to Lincoln. |
| 1614 | 1618 | John Overall | Dean of St Paul's, London; translated to Norwich. |
| 1619 | 1632 | Thomas Morton | Translated from Chester; translated to Durham. |
| 1632 | 1643 | Robert Wright | Translated from Bristol. |
| 1644 | 1646 | Accepted Frewen | Dean of Gloucester; deprived of the see when the English episcopy was abolished by Parliament on 9 October 1646. |
| 1646 | 1660 | The see was abolished during the Commonwealth and the Protectorate. | The see was abolished during the Commonwealth and the Protectorate. |
| 1660 | 1660 | Accepted Frewen | Restored; translated to York, 4 October 1660. |
| 1661 | 1670 | John Hacket | Canon-resident of St Paul's, London. |
| 1671 | 1692 | Thomas Wood | Dean of Lichfield. |
| 1692 | 1699 | William Lloyd | Translated from St Asaph; translated to Worcester. |
| 1699 | 1717 | John Hough | Translated from Oxford; translated to Worcester. |
| 1717 | 1730 | Edward Chandler | Prebendary of Worcester; translated to Durham. |
| 1731 | 1749 | Richard Smalbroke | Translated from St Davids. |
| 1750 | 1768 | Frederick Cornwallis | Canon of Windsor; Dean of St Paul's, London (1766); translated to Canterbury. |
| 1768 | 1771 | John Egerton | Translated from Bangor; translated to Durham. |
| 1771 | 1774 | Brownlow North | Dean of Canterbury; translated to Worcester. |
| 1775 | 1781 | Richard Hurd | Master of the Temple; translated to Worcester. |
| 1781 | 1824 | James Cornwallis | Earl Cornwallis after 1823. Dean of Canterbury; nephew of Frederick Cornwallis (above); died in office. |
| 10 March 1824 | 31 March 1836 | Henry Ryder | Translated from Gloucester; died in office. |
| 3 July 1836 | 24 January 1837 | Samuel Butler | Became Bishop of Lichfield when Coventry was transferred to Worcester diocese. |
| Bishops of Lichfield ||||
| From | Until | Incumbent | Notes |
| 24 January 1837 | 4 December 1839 | Samuel Butler | Previously Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry; died in office. |
| 23 January 1840 | 11 October 1843 | James Bowstead | Translated from Sodor & Man. |
| 3 December 1843 | 19 October 1867 | John Lonsdale | Archdeacon of Middlesex and Principal of King's College, London; died in office. |
| 4 January 1868 | 11 April 1878 | George Selwyn | Translated from New Zealand; died in office. |
| 24 June 1878 | 28 July 1891 | William Maclagan | Vicar of St Mary Abbots, Kensington; translated to York. |
| 29 September 1891 | 15 March 1913 | Augustus Legge | Confirmed 28 September 1891; died in office. |
| 13 June 1913 | 15 June 1937 | John Kempthorne | |
| 29 July 1937 | 11 January 1953 | Edward Woods | Died in office. |
| 29 September 1953 | 1 December 1974 | Stretton Reeve | |
| 2 January 1975 | 29 February 1984 | Kenneth Skelton | former Bishop of Matabeleland and Assistant Bishop of Durham; retired. |
| 12 October 1984 | 2003 | Keith Sutton | |
| 2003 | 30 September 2015 | Jonathan Gledhill | |
| 30 September 2015 | 10 June 2016 | Clive Gregory | Bishop of Wolverhampton. Acting bishop. |
| 10 June 2016 | incumbent | Michael Ipgrave | |

## Assistant bishops

Among those called Assistant Bishop of Lichfield, or coadjutor bishop, were:
* 1869–1880: Edmund Hobhouse, former Anglican Bishop of Nelson
* 1870–1878: Charles Abraham, former Bishop of Wellington
* 1882–1891: Charles Bromby, Rector of Montford (until 1887), then Warden of St John's Hospital, Lichfield, and former Bishop of Tasmania