View source for Diocese of Lichfield

{{Short description|Diocese of the Church of England}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2023}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2016}}
{{Infobox diocese
| jurisdiction     = Diocese
| name             = Lichfield
| latin            = Dioecesis Lichfeldensis
| coat             = Diocese of Lichfield arms v2.svg
| coat_size        = 150px
| flag             = Flag of the Diocese of Lichfield v2.svg
| flag_size        = 150px
| province         = [[Province of Canterbury|Canterbury]]
| parishes         = 429
| churches         = 582
| bishop           = [[Michael Ipgrave]], [[Bishop of Lichfield]]
| cathedral        = [[Lichfield Cathedral]]
| language         = [[English language|English]]
| archdeaconries   = Lichfield, Stoke, Salop, Walsall
| suffragans       = [[Tim Wambunya]], area [[Bishop of Wolverhampton]]<br />[[Sarah Bullock]], area [[Anglican Bishop of Shrewsbury|Bishop of Shrewsbury]]<br />[[Matthew Parker (bishop)|Matthew Parker]], area [[Bishop of Stafford]]<br />[[Paul Thomas (bishop)|Paul Thomas]], [[Bishop of Oswestry|Bishop suffragan of Oswestry]] (''[[Alternative episcopal oversight|AEO]]'')
| archdeacons      = [[Sue Weller]], [[Archdeacon of Lichfield]]<br />Megan Smith, [[Archdeacon of Stoke]]<br />[[Liz Jackson (priest)|Liz Jackson]], [[Archdeacon of Walsall]]<br />[[Nick Watson (priest)|Nick Watson]], [[Archdeacon of Salop]]
| website          = [http://www.lichfield.anglican.org/ lichfield.anglican.org]
}}
The '''Diocese of Lichfield''' is a [[Church of England]] [[diocese]] in the [[Province of Canterbury]], England. The bishop's [[cathedra|seat]] is located in the [[Lichfield Cathedral|Cathedral Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Chad]] in the city of [[Lichfield]]. The diocese covers {{convert|4516|km2|abbr=on}} of several counties: almost all of [[Staffordshire]], northern [[Shropshire]], a significant portion of the [[West Midlands (county)|West Midlands]], and very small portions of [[Warwickshire]] and [[Powys]] ([[Wales]]).
[[File:Coat of Arms of the Diocese of Lichfield v2.svg|thumb|Coat of Arms of the Diocese of Lichfield<ref>{{cite web |title=Diocese of Lichfield |publisher=Heraldry of the World |accessdate= 7 March 2023 |url=https://www.heraldry-wiki.com/heraldrywiki/index.php?title=Diocese_of_Lichfield}}</ref>]]

==History==

The Diocese of [[Mercia]] was created by [[Diuma]] in around 656 and the [[episcopal see|see]] was settled in [[Lichfield]] in 669 by the then bishop, [[Chad of Mercia|Ceadda]] (later Saint Chad), who built a monastery there.<ref>{{CathEncy|wstitle=Lichfield}}</ref> At the [[Council of Chelsea]] in 787, Bishop [[Higbert]] was raised to the rank of [[archbishop]] and given authority over the dioceses of [[Bishop of Worcester|Worcester]], [[Bishop of Lincoln|Leicester]]<!--now Lincoln, then Leicester-->, [[Bishop of Lindsey|Lindsey]], [[Bishop of Hereford|Hereford]], [[Bishop of Elmham|Elmham]] and [[Bishop of Dunwich|Dunwich]]. This was due to the persuasion of King [[Offa]] of Mercia, who wanted an archbishop to rival [[Archbishop of Canterbury|Canterbury]]. On Offa's death in 796, however, the Pope removed the archiepiscopal rank and restored the dioceses to the authority of Canterbury. In 803 the [[Council of Clovesho]] accepted this decision.

During the 9th century, the diocese was devastated by the [[Vikings]]. Lichfield itself was unwalled and had become rather poor, so Bishop [[Peter of Lichfield|Peter]] moved the see to the fortified and wealthier [[Chester]] in 1075. His successor, [[Robert de Limesey]], transferred it to [[Coventry]] and the diocese was renamed the '''Diocese of Coventry and Lichfield'''. At this stage it also covered [[Derbyshire]] and most of [[Warwickshire]]. In 1539 the see was transferred back to Lichfield and the name was reversed to become the '''Diocese of Lichfield and Coventry'''.

[[File:'Ecclesiastical England at the time of Henry VIII'.png|left|thumb|A map of the English dioceses during the reign of [[Henry VIII]], from Phillips' new historical atlas (1920)]]
The diocese was one of the largest in medieval England and was divided into five archdeaconries roughly coinciding with the constituent counties or parts of counties: Chester (covering Cheshire and south Lancashire), Coventry, Derby, Salop and Stafford. In 1541 the [[Diocese of Chester]] was created and parishes in south Lancashire, Cheshire, Denbighshire and Flintshire were transferred to the new diocese. On 24 January 1837, the [[archdeaconry of Coventry]] was transferred to the [[Anglican Diocese of Worcester|Diocese of Worcester]]<ref name="adcov" /> and the Bishop, see and diocese of Lichfield and Coventry all accordingly renamed Lichfield.<ref name="adcov">{{London Gazette|issue=19460|date=24 January 1837|pages=169–170}}</ref>  In 1891 the Bishop of Coventry became a suffragan see (1891-1903), in 1918 a new [[Diocese of Coventry]] was recreated.

In 1848 the Diocese of Lichfield gained the territory of [[Wolverhampton]], previously under the independent [[Dean of Windsor|Dean]] of the [[Royal Peculiar]] [[St Peter's Collegiate Church]] of the town.

In 1884 the [[archdeaconry of Derby]] was transferred to the new [[Diocese of Southwell]].<ref>From Parson to Professional: The Changing Ministry Of the Anglican Clergy In Staffordshire, 1830–1960. A thesis written by the Rev. Dr. John W. B. Tomlinson (2008 Birmingham University)</ref> In 1877 part of the [[archdeaconry of Stafford]] became the [[archdeaconry of Stoke-upon-Trent]]<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=24486 |date=24 July 1877 |pages=4316–4318  }}</ref> (now generally called merely Stoke) and in 1981 the remainder was renamed the [[archdeaconry of Lichfield]]. In 1997 another part of the archdeaconry (of Lichfield) was removed to form the new [[archdeaconry of Walsall]], covering Trysull, Walsall, Wednesbury, West Bromwich and Wolverhampton.<ref name="arch">{{cite web | url = http://www.archives.staffordshire.gov.uk/DServe/dserve.exe?dsqIni=DserveV.ini&dsqApp=Archive2&dsqDb=Catalog&dsqCmd=show.tcl&dsqSearch=(RefNo=='CA1')| title = Diocese of Lichfield |access-date = 20 January 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = http://theclergydatabase.org.uk/reference/diocesan-resources/a-z-list-of-dioceses/lichfield-and-coventry-diocese-resources/lichfield-and-coventry-diocesan-maps/| title = Lichfield and Coventry Diocesan Maps |access-date = 4 June 2017}}</ref>

==Bishops==
The bishop diocesan is assisted by the area bishops of Shrewsbury (responsible for the Salop archdeaconry), Stafford (responsible for the Stoke archdeaconry), and Wolverhampton (responsible for the Lichfield and Walsall archdeaconries). The See of Shrewsbury was in existence from 1888 to 1905, then re-created in 1940; the See of Stafford was created in 1909, and the See of Wolverhampton in 1979. The diocesan area scheme was instituted in 1992.<ref>{{cite web|title=4: The Dioceses Commission, 1978–2002|url=http://www.churchofengland.org/media/40670/chapter4.pdf|publisher=Church of England|access-date=23 April 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120607020502/http://www.churchofengland.org/media/40670/chapter4.pdf|archive-date=7 June 2012|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

In 2022, it was announced that the [[Bishop of Oswestry|suffragan See of Oswestry]] in the diocese would be used as a [[provincial episcopal visitor]] (for traditionalist Anglo-Catholic parishes in the western half of the [[Province of Canterbury]] who reject the ministry of women).<ref name="aeo23">{{cite web |website=Diocese of Canterbury |title=Bishops of Maidstone, Ebbsfleet and Oswestry |url=https://canterburydiocese.org/our-life/news-events/news/bishops-of-maidstone-ebbsfleet-and-oswestry.php |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220707135916/https://canterburydiocese.org/our-life/news-events/news/bishops-of-maidstone-ebbsfleet-and-oswestry.php |archive-date=7 July 2022 |access-date=3 August 2022 }}</ref> On 2 February 2023, [[Paul Thomas (bishop)|Paul Thomas]] became the first Bishop of Oswestry and was consecrated a bishop.<ref name="con">{{cite web |website=See of Oswestry |title=The Consecration of the first Bishop of Oswestry |date=2 February 2023 |url=https://seeofoswestry.org.uk/news/the-consecration-of-the-first-bishop-of-oswestry/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230202161505/https://seeofoswestry.org.uk/news/the-consecration-of-the-first-bishop-of-oswestry/ |archive-date=2 February 2023 |access-date=3 February 2023 }}</ref>

There are also three retired bishops resident in (or near) the diocese who are licensed to serve as [[honorary assistant bishop]]s:
*2021-present: [[Alistair Magowan]], former [[Bishop of Ludlow]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.lichfield.anglican.org/news/appointments-and-departures-5623.php|title=Diocese of Lichfield &#124; Appointments and Departures}}</ref>
*2020–present: [[Jan McFarlane]], former [[Bishop of Repton]], is [[Dean of Lichfield]]
*2005–present: [[Iraj Mottahedeh]] is a retired diocesan [[Bishop of Iran]] who lives in [[Church Aston]], Shropshire, and is also licensed in the neighbouring [[Anglican Diocese of Birmingham|Birmingham diocese]].<ref>{{Crockford
| surname = Mottahedeh
| forenames = Iraj Kalimi
| id = 21172
| accessed = 18 June 2016
}}</ref>

==Archdeacons of Walsall==
:''The archdeaconry of Walsall was created from Lichfield archdeaconry in 1997.''<ref name="arch" />
*1997–2004 (ret.): [[Tony Sadler]] (afterwards archdeacon emeritus)<ref>{{Who's Who
| title=Sadler, Anthony Graham
| id = U33635
| volume = 2014
| edition = December 2013 online
| access-date = 15 April 2014
}}</ref>
*2004–2009 (res.): [[Bob Jackson (priest)|Bob Jackson]]<ref>{{Who's Who
| title=Jackson, Robert William
| id = U44589
| volume = 2014
| edition = December 2013 online
| access-date = 15 April 2014
}}</ref>
*1 November 2009{{snd}}29 September 2014 (ret.):<ref name="lich-gaz">{{cite web|url=http://www.lichfield.anglican.org/ourdiocese/gazette/|title=Gazette|author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->|date=22 December 2014|website=Diocese of Lichfield|access-date=28 December 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141228212800/http://www.lichfield.anglican.org/ourdiocese/gazette/|archive-date=28 December 2014|df=dmy-all}}</ref> [[Chris Sims (priest)|Chris Sims]]<ref>{{Who's Who
| title=Sims, Christopher Sidney
| id = U250253
| volume = 2014
| edition = December 2013 online
| access-date = 15 April 2014
}}</ref>
*11 January 2015{{snd}}September 2019: [[Sue Weller]]<ref name="weller">{{cite web|url=http://www.lichfield.anglican.org/ournews/the-new-archdeacon-of-walsall/|title=The new Archdeacon of Walsall|author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->|website=Diocese of Lichfield|access-date=28 December 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141228221251/http://www.lichfield.anglican.org/ournews/the-new-archdeacon-of-walsall/|archive-date=28 December 2014|df=dmy-all}}</ref> (became [[Archdeacon of Lichfield]])<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.lichfield.anglican.org/news/2019/06/26/sue-named-new-archdeacon-missioner/ |title=Diocese of Lichfield - News - Sue named as new Archdeacon Missioner |website=www.lichfield.anglican.org |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190627132018/https://www.lichfield.anglican.org/news/2019/06/26/sue-named-new-archdeacon-missioner/ |archive-date=2019-06-27}}</ref>
*8 November 2019{{snd}}8 May 2024 (ret.): [[Julian Francis]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.lichfield.anglican.org/news/2019/08/01/julian-returns-archdeacon-walsall/ |title=Diocese of Lichfield - News - Julian returns as Archdeacon of Walsall |website=www.lichfield.anglican.org |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190806145554/https://www.lichfield.anglican.org/news/2019/08/01/julian-returns-archdeacon-walsall/ |archive-date=2019-08-06}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |website=Diocese of Lichfield |title=Appointments and Departures |date=25 April 2024 |url=https://lichfield.anglican.org/news/appointments-and-departures-2678.php |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240804201316/https://lichfield.anglican.org/news/appointments-and-departures-2678.php |archive-date=4 August 2024 |access-date=4 August 2024 }}</ref>
*4 May 2025{{snd}}present: [[Liz Jackson (priest)|Liz Jackson]]<ref>{{cite web |website=Diocese of Lichfield |title=New Archdeacons for Walsall and Salop appointed from Oxford and Manchester |date=15 January 2025 |url=https://lichfield.anglican.org/news/new-archdeacons-for-walsall-and-salop-appointed-from-oxford-and-manchester.php |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250117225358/https://lichfield.anglican.org/news/new-archdeacons-for-walsall-and-salop-appointed-from-oxford-and-manchester.php |archive-date=17 January 2025 |access-date=10 March 2025 }}</ref>
{{Archdeacons of Walsall}}

==See also==
{{Portal|Christianity}}
*[[Bishop of Lichfield]]
*[[Lichfield Cathedral]]
*[[Dean of Lichfield]]
*[[Archdeacon of Salop]]
*[[Archdeacon of Stafford]]
*[[Archdeacon of Stoke]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

{{Province of Canterbury}}
{{Diocese of Lichfield}}
{{Coord|52.6855|-1.8305|type:adm2nd_region:GB-STS|display=title}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Diocese of Lichfield| ]]
[[Category:650s establishments]]
[[Category:Dioceses established in the 7th century|Lichfield]]
[[Category:Lichfield]]
[[Category:Dioceses of the Church of England|Lichfield]]
[[Category:Religion in Staffordshire]]
[[Category:Religion in Shropshire]]
[[Category:Archdeacons of Walsall| ]]