The diocese of Blackburn is diocese of the Church of England in North West England. Its boundaries correspond to northern Lancashire. The diocese contains 211 parishes and 280 churches. Blackburn Cathedral is the seat of the bishop of Blackburn, currently Philip North, and the diocesan offices are also located in Blackburn.
What is now the diocese of Blackburn was historically part of the diocese of York. It became part of the newly created diocese of Chester in 1541, and part of the diocese of Manchester when it was created in 1847. The diocese of Blackburn was in turn established on 12 November 1926 from the northern part of Manchester.
Bishops Alongside the diocesan Bishop of Blackburn (Philip North), the diocese has two suffragan bishops: Jill Duff, Bishop suffragan of Lancaster, consecrated in 2018; and Joe Kennedy, Bishop suffragan of Burnley, consecrated 2024.
Since 1994, Michael Vickers, retired area Bishop of Colchester, has been licensed to serve as an honorary assistant bishop in the diocese. He lives in Scotforth, Lancaster. Cyril Ashton, a retired former Bishop suffragan of Doncaster has been licensed since his 2011 retirement to Lancaster. Retired former archbishop of York David Hope lives in Hellifield, N. Yorks (in the neighbouring Diocese of Leeds) and is licensed as an honorary assistant bishop in Blackburn diocese.
There is no alternative episcopal oversight (for parishes in the diocese which reject the ministry of priests who are women) in the diocese because the ordinary (Philip North) does not ordain women as priests.
Archdeaconries and deaneries DioceseArchdeaconriesRural DeaneriesDiocese of BlackburnArchdeaconry of BlackburnDeanery of AccringtonDeanery of Blackburn and DarwenDeanery of BurnleyDeanery of ChorleyDeanery of LeylandDeanery of PendleDeanery of WhalleyArchdeaconry of LancasterDeanery of BlackpoolDeanery of GarstangDeanery of KirkhamDeanery of Lancaster and MorecambeDeanery of PoultonDeanery of PrestonDeanery of Tunstall
Churches within the diocese
Deanery of Accrington Area Dean: the Revd Canon David Arnold
Deanery of Blackburn and Darwen Area Dean: the Revd Rebecca Roberts
Deanery of Burnley Area Dean: the Revd Munawar Din
Deanery of Chorley Area Dean: the Revd Neil Kelley
Deanery of Leyland Area Dean: the Revd Marc Wolverson
Deanery of Pendle Area Dean: the Revd Lesley Hinchcliffe
Deanery of Whalley Area Dean: the Revd Jonathan Carmylie
Deanery of Blackpool Area Dean: the Revd Peter Lillicrap
Deanery of Garstang Area Dean: the Revd Andrew Wilkinson
Deanery of Kirkham Area Dean: the Revd Anne Beverley
Deanery of Lancaster and Morecambe Area Dean: vacant
Deanery of Poulton Area Dean: the Revd Damian Platt
Deanery of Preston Area Dean: the Revd David Hanson
Deanery of Tunstall Area Dean: vacant
Disused churches This list is not exhaustive. St Mark's, Blackburn St John's, Great Harwood
References
Church of England Statistics 2002
External links