The Diocese of Oxford is a Church of England diocese that forms part of the Province of Canterbury. The diocese is led by the Bishop of Oxford (currently Steven Croft), and the bishop's seat is at Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford. It contains more church buildings than any other diocese and has more paid clergy than any other except London.
The diocese now covers the counties of Berkshire (118 churches), Buckinghamshire (152 churches), Oxfordshire (227 churches) and five churches in the nearby counties. Their 284 schools educate more than 68,000 students.
History The Diocese of Oxford was created by letters patent from Henry VIII on 1 September 1542,Clergy of the Church of England Database — Christ Church cathedral: history and description (Accessed 12 January 2016). out of part of the Diocese of Lincoln. Osney Abbey was designated the original cathedral, but in 1545 this was changed to St Frideswide's Priory which became Christ Church Cathedral.
In 1836 the Archdeaconry of Berkshire was transferred from the Diocese of Salisbury to Oxford. This comprises the county of Berkshire and parts of Wiltshire.
An Order in Council of 1837 transferred the Archdeaconry of Buckingham from the Diocese of Lincoln.
In 2013 and 2014, the Diocese of Oxford discussed and resolved to undertake some pastoral alterations; the new archdeaconry of Dorchester was created on 1 March 2014.Ridgeway Broadsheet, March 2014 (Accessed 24 May 2014). On 3 March 2014, it was announced that Judy French would become the first Archdeacon of Dorchester from June 2014.Diocese of Oxford – New archdeacon for Dorchester (Accessed 21 March 2014).
Bishops The diocesan Bishop of Oxford is assisted by the area bishops of Dorchester, Buckingham, and Reading. The suffragan See of Buckingham was created in 1914, and was the suffragan bishopric for the whole diocese until 1939 when the See of Dorchester was created; the See of Reading was re-created in 1942, after having been 'in abeyance' since 1909.
The provincial episcopal visitor (for Anglo-Catholic parishes in the diocese – among twelve other dioceses in the western part of the Province of Canterbury – which do not accept the ordination of women as priests) is the Bishop of Oswestry, who is licensed as an honorary assistant bishop of the diocese in order to facilitate his ministry in the diocese. Conservative evangelicals who reject the ordination and/or leadership of women due to complementarian beliefs, receive alternative episcopal oversight from the Bishop of Ebbsfleet.
Several retired bishops resident in or near the diocese are licensed to serve as honorary assistant bishops. :
Since 2010: Anthony Russell, former Bishop of Ely and area Bishop of Dorchester, lives in Holton. Since 2010: Henry Scriven, Mission Director for Latin America (CMS) and former Assistant Bishop in Pittsburgh and Suffragan Bishop in Europe, lives in Abingdon-on-Thames and is also licensed in Chichester and Winchester dioceses. Since 2013: David Jennings, retired former Bishop suffragan of Warrington, lives in Northleach, Gloucestershire and is also licensed in Gloucester diocese. Since 2013: John Went, former Bishop suffragan of Tewkesbury, lives in Latimer.
George Carey (retired Archbishop of Canterbury) lives in the diocese and was an honorary assistant bishop, but resigned his licence following his implication in the Peter Ball abuse case, and Humphrey Southern, former Bishop suffragan of Repton, is the Principal of Ripon College Cuddesdon.
Current extent
Counties The diocese now covers the counties of Berkshire (118 churches) Buckinghamshire (152 churches) Oxfordshire (227 churches) and has three churches in the county of Bedfordshire one church in the traditional county of Middlesex one church in the county of Hampshire
Episcopal areas Since the creation of an area scheme in 1984, the diocese has been divided into three episcopal areas. The Bishop of Oxford has authority throughout the diocese, but also has primary responsibility for the city and suburbs of Oxford, which form the Archdeaconry of Oxford.
City of Oxford and surrounding area (Archdeaconry of Oxford) current Bishop of Oxford: Steven Croft includes Deaneries of Oxford and Cowley Dorchester Episcopal Area (Archdeaconry of Dorchester) current area Bishop of Dorchester: Gavin Collins includes Deaneries of Aston & Cuddesdon, Bicester & Islip, Chipping Norton, Deddington, Henley, Witney and Woodstock Buckingham Episcopal Area (Archdeaconry of Buckingham) current area Bishop of Buckingham: Dave Bull includes Deaneries of Amersham, Aylesbury, Buckingham, Burnham & Slough, Claydon, Milton Keynes, Mursley, Newport, Wendover and Wycombe Reading Episcopal Area (Archdeaconry of Berkshire) current area Bishop of Reading: Mary Gregory includes Deaneries of Abingdon, Bracknell, Bradfield, Maidenhead & Windsor, Newbury, Reading, Sonning, Vale of White Horse, Wallingford and Wantage
Archdeaconries and deaneries Episcopal areaArchdeaconries Rural Deaneries Paid clergy Churches PopulationPeople/clergyPeople/churchChurches/clergyOxford Episcopal Area(Bishop of Oxford) Archdeaconry of Oxford Deanery of Oxford 34*26*68,686*2,020 2,6420.76Deanery of Cowley15 17 104,6506,977 6,1561.13Dorchester Episcopal Area (area Bishop of Dorchester)Archdeaconry of DorchesterDeanery of Abingdon142766,6874,7632,4701.93Deanery of Aston & Cuddesdon 18 51 54,913 3,051 1,0772.83Deanery of Bicester & Islip1039 51,494 5,1491,320 3.9Deanery of Chipping Norton 93023,903 2,656 7973.33 Deanery of Deddington 14 34 66,505 4,750 1,956 2.43Deanery of Henley925 36,686 4,0761,467 2.78Deanery of Vale of White Horse62719,4943,2497224.5Deanery of Wallingford101947,5004,7502,5001.9Deanery of Wantage51624,6854,9371,5433.2Deanery of Witney133863,8844,9141,6812.92Deanery of Woodstock92425,4042,8231,0592.67Buckingham Episcopal Area (area Bishop of Buckingham)Archdeaconry of Buckingham Deanery of Amersham 23 31 111,702 4,857 3,6031.35Deanery of Aylesbury 1937 104,369 5,493 2,821 1.95 Deanery of Buckingham 6 22 21,214 3,5369643.67 Deanery of Burnham & Slough 2031 193,6359,6826,2461.55 Deanery of Claydon 5 25 21,125 4,225 845 5 Deanery of Milton Keynes 15 29 213,304 14,220 7,355 1.93Deanery of Mursley 5 20 21,444 4,2891,0724 Deanery of Newport 5 22 32,175 6,435 1,463 4.4Deanery of Wendover82235,2624,4081,6032.75Deanery of Wycombe1836150,6108,3674,1842Reading Episcopal Area (area Bishop of Reading)Archdeaconry of BerkshireDeanery of Bracknell1119103,8749,4435,4671.73Deanery of Bradfield92636,8914,0991,4192.89Deanery of Maidenhead & Windsor2024110,4565,5234,6021.2Deanery of Newbury164096,3476,0222,4092.5Deanery of Reading3635245,8926,8307,0250.97Deanery of Sonning2024112,0395,6024,6681.2Total/average 4038162,264,8305,6202,7762.02 *including Cathedral
Churches
Outside deanery structures BeneficeChurchesClergyPopulation servedRef Cathedra Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford Dean: Sarah Foot Sub-Dean: Peter Moger Canon: Carol Harrison Canon: Graham Ward Canon: Sally Welch 512
Deanery of Oxford Benefice Churches Link Clergy Population served Ref Hinksey, South (St Laurence) St Laurence, South Hinksey St John the Evangelist, New Hinksey Vicar: Vacant Curate: Benjamin Drury 2,481 Kidlington (St Mary the Virgin) with Hampton Poyle St Mary the Virgin, Kidlington St Mary the Virgin, Hampton Poyle St John the Baptist, South Kidlington Team Rector: Felicity Scroggie Team Vicar: Martin Davis Curate: Laura Biron-Scott 14,850 Osney (St Frideswide) St Frideswide, Osney SS Peter & Paul, Botley St Lawrence, North Hinksey St Margaret of Antioch, Binsey Rector: Clare Sykes Curate: Katherine Seagrave SSM: Martin Henig SSM: Jo Moffett-Levy 7,245 Oxford (St Aldate) St Aldate, Oxford Rector: Charlie Cleverly Pastorate Chaplain: Simon Ponsonby Curate: Will Donaldson Curate: Tim Bateman SSM: Mark Brickman SSM: Christopher Landau SSM: Daniel Hames 727 Oxford (St Andrew) St Andrew, Oxford Vicar: Dan Heyward Curate: Paul White Curate: James Dwyer SSM: Elizabeth Pitkethly 2,991 Oxford (St Barnabas and St Paul) (St Thomas the Martyr) St Barnabas, Oxford St Thomas the Martyr, Oxford Vicar: Vacant Curate: Susan Gillingham 5,583 Oxford (St Ebbe with Holy Trinity and St Peter-Le-Bailey) St Ebbe, Oxford Rector: Vaughan Roberts Curate: Pete Wilkinson Curate: Joel Knight Curate: Matt Pope Curate: Leon Catallo SSM: James Poole SSM: John Miller 1,443 St Ebbe's Headington1 Oxford (St Giles) St Philip and St James (St Margaret) St Giles, Oxford Vicar: Anthony Bunch Curate: Tom Albinson 7,885 St Margaret, Oxford Oxford (St Mary Magdalen) St Mary Magdalen, Oxford Vicar: Peter Groves Curate: Jarred Mercer SSM: Jonathan Jong 1,176 Oxford (St Mary the Virgin) (St Cross Or Holywell) (St Peter in the East) St Mary the Virgin, Oxford Vicar: William Lamb Curate: James Crockford SSM: Charlotte Bannister-Parker SSM: Alan Ramsey 5,229 Oxford (St Matthew) St Matthew, Oxford Rector: Steve Hellyer Curate: Stephen Tuck SSM: Timothy Bradshaw SSM: Jane Lees SSM: Mike Rayner 3,154 St Luke, Oxford Oxford (St Michael At the North Gate with St Martin and All Saints) St Michael at the North Gate, Oxford Vicar: Anthony Buckley 1,155 Summertown (St Michael and All Angels) St Michael & All Angels, Summertown Vicar: Gavin Knight SSM: William Pryor 7,840 Wolvercote (St Peter) and Wytham St Peter, Wolvercote Vicar: Kate Tuckett Associate Priest: William Whyte 6,415 All Saints, Wytham 1situated within the area covered by the Cowley deanery
Deanery of Cowley Benefice Churches Link Clergy Population served Blackbird Leys (Holy Family) Holy Family, Blackbird Leys (LEP) Vicar: Heather Carter 13,073Cowley (St James) (St Francis) St James, Cowley St Francis, Cowley Team Rector: Geoffrey Bayliss Team Vicar: Vacant SSM: Richard Chand SSM: Gordon Hickson20,144Cowley (St John) (St Alban) (St Bart) (St Mary & St John) SS Mary & John, Cowley St Alban, Cowley St Bartholomew's Chapel, Oxford Vicar: Philip Ritchie SSM: Sabina Alkire SSM: Matt Rees14,909Headington (St Andrew) St Andrew, Headington Vicar: Darren McFarland Curate: Tim Howles7,010Headington (St Mary) St Mary, Headington Vicar: Eric Bossward6,131Headington Quarry (Holy Trinity) Holy Trinity, Headington Quarry Vicar: Tim Stead SSM: Robert Gilbert10,659Highfield (All Saints) All Saints, Headington Vicar: Now vacant3,660Iffley (St Mary the Virgin) St Mary the Virgin, Iffley Vicar: Andrew McKearney SSM: William Beaver7,470Littlemore (St Mary the Virgin and St Nicholas) SS Mary & Nicholas, Littlemore Priest-in-Charge: Margreet Armitstead Curate: Hannah Cartwright SSM: Teresa Morgan5,632Marston (St Nicholas) with Elsfield St Nicholas, Marston St Thomas of Canterbury, Elsfield Vicar: Elizabeth Denno3,553Marston, New (St Michael and All Angels) St Michael & All Angels, New Marston Vicar: Elaine Bardwell6,670Oxford (St Clement) St Clement, Oxford Rector: Rachel Gibson Curate: Philip Lockley4,519Sandford-On-Thames (St Andrew) St Andrew, Sandford-on-Thames Hon. Priest-in-Charge: Robert Morgan1,220
Deanery of Abingdon
Deanery website
BeneficeChurchesLinkClergyPopulation servedAbingdon, North (Christ Church) Christ Church Abingdon Vicar: Keith Dunnett Associate Vicar: James Whymark Associate Minister: Ros Steel Curate: Robin Emmanuel16,103 Christ Church Long FurlongPeachcroft Christian Centre Peachcroft Christian Centre (LEP) Minister: David MastersAbingdon-On-Thames (St Helen) (St Michael and All Angels) (St Nicolas) St Helen, Abingdon Team Rector: Jen Brown Team Vicar: Vacant Associate Priest: A. K. M. Adam16,457 St Michael & All Angels, Abingdon St Nicolas, AbingdonAppleton with Besselsleigh St Laurence, Appleton Rector: Wealands Bell1,026Cumnor (St Michael) St Michael, Cumnor St Andrew, Dean Court St Mary, Farmoor Vicar: Vacant Honorary Associate Minister: David Wenham Honorary Associate Minister: Chris Sugden