List of ecclesiastical parishes in the Diocese of Bath and Wells

The ecclesiastical parishes within the Diocese of Bath and Wells cover the majority of the English county of Somerset and small areas of Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire. The episcopal seat of the Bishop of Bath and Wells is in the Cathedral Church of Saint Andrew in the city of Wells in Somerset.

The diocesan offices, the bishops' offices and residences and the cathedral are all located around the Bishop's Palace in Wells. The diocese is not referred to as "Bath diocese" or "Wells diocese", but as "Bath and Wells diocese". The ordinary of the diocese is the diocesan Bishop of Bath and Wells, Michael Beasley; he is assisted throughout the diocese by the Bishop suffragan of Taunton, Fiona Gibson. Her See was created in 1911.

Alternative episcopal oversight (for parishes in the diocese that reject the ministry of women priests) is provided by the provincial episcopal visitor, the Bishop suffragan of Oswestry, Paul Thomas, who is licensed as an honorary assistant bishop of the diocese.

Background The parish with its local parish church is the basic unit of the Church of England. The parish within the Church of England structure has its roots in the Roman Catholic Church and survived the Reformation largely untouched. Church of England parishes each fall within one of 44 dioceses divided between the provinces of Canterbury, with 30 dioceses, and York with 14. In 2017 there were approximately 12,600 Church of England parishes, 477 of them within this diocese.

Each parish is administered by a parish priest who may be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates, who are also ordained but not parish priests. There are wide variations in the size of parishes and church-going populations. A parish priest may have responsibility for one parish or for two or more, and some are part of a team ministry. By extension, the term parish refers not only to the territorial unit but to the people of its community or congregation. A benefice or "living" in the Church of England describes any ecclesiastical parish or group of ecclesiastical parishes under a single stipendiary minister. The holder of a benefice owns the "freehold" of the post (the church and the parsonage house) for life.

Until the late 19th century, the parishes were the smallest area for local government and administrative functions. Following the Local Government Act 1894, the civil duties of the church were abolished and separate civil parishes were established. As a result of the different needs of the civil community and the church, in many cases the boundaries of the ecclesiastical parishes and their equivalent civil parish have diverged with time.

Archdeaconry of Bath

The archdeaconry covers most of the two unitary authorities of North Somerset and Bath and North East Somerset, and also includes sections of neighbouring districts in Somerset and Wiltshire. The Archdeacon of Bath is Adrian Youings.

Deanery of Bath The deanery is mostly within Bath and North East Somerset, but includes one civil parish in Wiltshire and a small section in South Gloucestershire. As well as covering the city of Bath, it also includes the surrounding suburbs of the city and neighbouring villages.

Ecclesiastical parish Benefice Parish church LocationImage Civil parish(es) District(s)Bath Abbey with St JamesBath Abbey with St JamesBath Abbey Bath (unparished)Bath and North East SomersetBath, Bathwick: St JohnBath BathwickSt John Bath (unparished)Bath and North East SomersetBath, Bathwick: St MaryBath BathwickSt Mary Bath (unparished)Bath and North East SomersetBath: The AscensionBath Marlbrook TeamThe Ascension Bath (unparished)Bath and North East SomersetBath: Twerton-on-AvonBath Marlbrook TeamSt Michael Bath (unparished)Bath and North East SomersetBath Combe HayBath Odd Down with Combe HayCombe Hay All of Combe HayBath and North East SomersetBath, Odd DownBath Odd Down with Combe HaySt Philip & St James Bath (unparished)Bath and North East SomersetBath St Michael WithoutBath St Michael WithoutSt Michael Bath (unparished)Bath and North East SomersetBath: St BarnabasBath St Barnabas with EnglishcombeSt Barnabas Bath (unparished)Bath and North East SomersetEnglishcombeBath St Barnabas with EnglishcombeSt Peter All of Englishcombe.Small part of Bath (unparished)Bath and North East SomersetBath St BartholomewBath St BartholomewSt Bartholomew Bath (unparished)Bath and North East SomersetBath St LukeBath St LukeSt Luke Bath (unparished)Bath and North East SomersetBath St SaviourBath St Saviour with Swainswick and WoolleySt Saviour Bath (unparished)Bath and North East SomersetSwainswick with WoolleyBath St Saviour with Swainswick and WoolleySt MaryAll Saints All of SwainswickCharlcombeBath (unparished)Bath and North East SomersetBath, WalcotBath WalcotSt SwithinSt AndrewChrist Church Bath (unparished)Bath and North East SomersetBath, Weston: All SaintsBath Weston All Saints with North Stoke and LangridgeAll Saints Bath (unparished)CharlcombeKelstonBath and North East SomersetLangridgeBath Weston All Saints with North Stoke and LangridgeSt Mary CharlcombeBath and North East SomersetNorth StokeBath Weston All Saints with North Stoke and LangridgeSt Martin All of North StokeSmall part of BittonBath and North East Somerset, South GloucestershireBath, Weston: St JohnBath Weston St John with KelstonSt JohnEmmanuel Bath (unparished)Small part of KelstonBath and North East SomersetKelstonBath Weston St John with KelstonSt Nicholas Most of KelstonBath and North East SomersetBath, WidcombeBath WidcombeSt Thomas à BecketSt Matthew Bath (unparished)Bath and North East SomersetBathamptonBathampton with ClavertonSt Nicholas All of BathamptonBath and North East SomersetClavertonBathampton with ClavertonSt Mary All of ClavertonBath (unparished)Bath and North East SomersetBatheaston (LEP)Batheaston with St CatherineSt John: Batheaston St Catherine: St Catherine All of BatheastonAll of St CatherineBath (unparished)Bath and North East SomersetBathfordBathfordSt Swithin All of BathfordBath and North East SomersetBath: St StephenCharlcombe with Bath St StephenSt Stephen 2 sections - 1 in Bath (unparished). 1 in Bath (unparished) CharlcombeBath and North East SomersetCharlcombeCharlcombe with Bath St StephenSt Mary Charlcombe, Bath (unparished)Bath and North East SomersetCombe DownCombe Down with Monkton Combe and South StokeHoly TrinitySt Andrew Bath (unparished)Monkton CombeBath and North East SomersetMonkton CombeCombe Down with Monkton Combe and South StokeSt Michael Most of Monkton CombeBath (unparished)Bath and North East SomersetSouth StokeCombe Down with Monkton Combe and South StokeSt James All of SouthstokeBath and North East SomersetFreshford with Limpley Stoke and Hinton CharterhouseFreshford, Limpley Stoke and Hinton CharterhouseSt Peter: Freshford St John: Hinton CharterhouseSt Mary All of FreshfordAll of Hinton CharterhouseAll of Limpley StokeBath and North East Somerset, Wiltshire

Deanery of Chew Magna

The area covered includes the Chew Valley, and surrounding areas. The deanery is mostly within Bath and North East Somerset, and also includes a portion of North Somerset, Mendip and Sedgemoor. Part of the area falls within the Mendip Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Most of the rural area is within the Bristol and Bath Green Belt.

Ecclesiastical parish Benefice Parish church LocationImage Civil parish(es) District(s)BlagdonBlagdon with Compton Martin and UbleySt AndrewSt Hugh All of Blagdon Priddy Cheddar ButcombeBath and North East Somerset, Mendip, North SomersetCompton MartinBlagdon with Compton Martin and UbleySt Michael Compton Martin PriddyBath and North East Somerset, MendipUbleyBlagdon with Compton Martin and UbleySt Bartholomew All of Ubley PriddyBath and North East Somerset, MendipChew MagnaChew Magna with Dundry, Norton Malreward and Stanton DrewSt Andrew Chew Magna Norton MalrewardBath and North East SomersetDundryChew Magna with Dundry, Norton Malreward and Stanton DrewSt Michael Dundry WinfordBath and North East Somerset, North SomersetNorton MalrewardChew Magna with Dundry, Norton Malreward and Stanton DrewHoly Trinity Norton Malreward Stanton DrewBath and North East SomersetStanton DrewChew Magna with Dundry, Norton Malreward and Stanton DrewSt Mary Stanton Drew PublowBath and North East SomersetChew StokeChew Stoke with Nempnett ThrubwellSt Andrew Chew Stoke Chew MagnaBath and North East SomersetNempnett ThrubwellChew Stoke with Nempnett ThrubwellSt Mary Nempnett Thrubwell Chew StokeBath and North East SomersetBishop SuttonBishop Sutton and StoweyHoly Trinity Stowey-Sutton Chew MagnaBath and North East SomersetClutton with CameleyFarmborough with Marksbury and Stanton Prior, Clutton with CameleySt Augustine: Clutton & St James: Cameley Clutton Cameley Hinton BlewettBath and North East SomersetStoweyBishop Sutton and StoweySt Nicholas and St Mary Stowey-Sutton Chew MagnaBath and North East SomersetEast Harptree with West Harptree and Hinton BlewettEast with West Harptree and Hinton BlewettSt Laurence: East Harptree, St Mary: West Harptree & St Margaret: Hinton Blewett All of East Harptree,all of West Harptree,Hinton Blewett PriddyBath and North East SomersetFarmboroughFarmborough with Marksbury and Stanton Prior, Clutton with CameleyAll Saints All of FarmboroughBath and North East SomersetMarksburyFarmborough with Marksbury and Stanton Prior, Clutton with CameleySt Peter MarksburyBath and North East SomersetStanton PriorFarmborough with Marksbury and Stanton Prior, Clutton with CameleySt Lawrence MarksburyBath and North East SomersetKeynshamKeynshamSt JohnChewton Keynsham Mission ChurchSt FrancisSt MichaelSt Margaret Keynsham Compton Dando WhitchurchBath and North East SomersetCompton Dando and Chelwood Publow with Pensford, Compton Dando and ChelwoodSt Mary: Compton Dando & St Leonard: Chelwood Compton Dando & all of ChelwoodBath and North East SomersetPublow with Pensford Publow with Pensford, Compton Dando and ChelwoodAll Saints: Publow Publow Stanton DrewBath and North East SomersetCorstonSaltford with Corston and Newton St LoeAll Saints All of CorstonBath and North East SomersetNewton St LoeSaltford with Corston and Newton St LoeHoly Trinity All of Newton St LoeBath and North East SomersetSaltfordSaltford with Corston and Newton St LoeSt Mary Saltford KeynshamBath and North East SomersetFelton Common HillWinford with Felton Common HillSt Katherine Backwell Winford WringtonNorth SomersetWinfordWinford with Felton Common HillSt Mary and St PeterSt James Winford Nempnett Thrubwell DundryNorth Somerset, Bath and North East Somerset

Deanery of Locking

The Deanery of Locking covers Weston-super-Mare and the surrounding villages. It is mostly within North Somerset, but includes sections of Mendip and Sedgemoor.