Archdeacon of Dorset

The Archdeacon of Dorset is a senior ecclesiastical officer within the Diocese of Salisbury, England. He or she is responsible for the disciplinary supervision of the clergy^[1] within the four area deaneries: Purbeck, Poole, Wimborne, and Milton & Blandford.^[2]

History

The role of archdeacons within the diocese of Salisbury originated around the time of the Norman Conquest; the first recorded archdeacon titled Archdeacon of Dorset occurs as an officer of that diocese from the mid-12th century. The archdeaconry was transferred to the diocese of Bristol upon its creation on 4 June 1542,^[3] and later returned to Salisbury diocese by Order in Council on 7 October 1836.^[4]

In 1916, the Archdeaconry of Sherborne was created, which was divided out of the historic archdeaconry of Dorset.^[5]

The post is currently held by Antony MacRow-Wood.^[6]

List of archdeacons

Some archdeacons without territorial titles are recorded from around the time of the Norman Conquest; see Archdeacon of Salisbury.

High Medieval bef. 1139–aft. 1173: Adelelm (also Dean of Lincoln from bef. 1145) bef. 1184–aft. 1193: William bef. 1196–aft. 1198: Richard Ranulph son of Robert (disputed) bef. 1200–aft. 1214 (res.): Adam bef. 1222–aft. 1225: Herbert bef. 1226–aft. 1241: Humphrey bef. 1245–aft. 1255: Gerard de Bingham bef. 1258–aft. 1258: Giordano Pironti c. 1262 (res.): Simon of Bridport bef. 1271–aft. 1271: John ?–bef. 1275 (res.): Gerard de Grandson Antony Bek was provided but did not take office. bef. 1275–aft. 1280 (res.): Thomas Bek bef. 1281–1284 (res.): Henry Brandeston (previously Archdeacon of Wilts; became Dean of Salibury) bef. 1287–1297 (d.): William de la Wyle 1297–aft. 1316 (d.): Henry de Bluntesdon Late Medieval 29 September 1316–bef. 1321: Peter de Periton 3 January 1321–aft. 1339: Thomas de Hotoft 28 January 1340–bef. 1346 (d.): John de Kirkeby bef. 1347–aft. 1352: Bertrand Cardinal de Deucio (Cardinal-priest of San Marco) bef. 1373–1378 (res.): Robert Cardinal de Geneva (Cardinal-priest of Santi XII Apostoli; afterwards Pope at Avignon) 18 November 1378–?: Thomas Pays bef. 1380–bef. 1386: Niccolò Cardinal Caracciolo Moschino (Cardinal-priest of San Ciriaco alle Terme Diocleziane) 7 January 1386–bef. 1388: Ralph Erghum (possibly the Bishop of Salisbury) 13 September 1388–aft. 1390: Robert Ragenhull Disputed period: bef. 1396–bef. 1397 (d.): Adam Cardinal Easton (Cardinal-priest of Santa Cecilia in Trastevere; Papal grant) bef. 1397–bef. 1397 (d.): Michael Cergeaux (Royal grant) 1397: Walter Medford (Royal grant) 1397–30 June 1398 (deprived): Nicholas Bubwith (Papal grant) 3 September 1397 – 1400: Henry Chichele (Bishop's man) 9 July 1400 – 1406 (res.): Nicholas Bubwith (again) 11 December 1406 – 22 February 1437 (exch.): John Mackworth

22 February 1437–bef. 1440 (d.): John Hody (possibly the justice) 19 July 1440–bef. 1447 (d.): John Stopyndon 25 May 1447–bef. 1449 (d.): Robert Aiscough 14 February 1449–bef. 1486 (d.): William Aiscough 25 June 1486–bef. 1514 (res.): Robert Langton 20 May 1514 – 1523 (res.): Richard Pace 17 January 1523 – 1530 (res.): John Stokesley 20 December 1530–bef. 1533 (d.): William Bennet 25 November 1533 – 1535 (res.) Edward Foxe bef. 1539–bef. 1542 (res.): John Skypp (also Bishop of Hereford from 1539) Early modern 1542–aft. 1547: Thomas Canner 1551–1572 (d.): John Cotterell 1572–aft. 1584: Henry Tynchiner 1572–1575 (rem.): James Proctor (disputed) ?–bef. 1621 (d.): Edward Wickham 1621–bef. 1654 (d.): Richard Fitzherbert 1660–bef. 1671 (d.): Richard Meredith 16 September 1671 – 5 March 1683 (d.): Ralph Ironside 25 March 1683–bef. 1698 (d.): The Hon John Feilding 1698–bef. 1733 (d.): Robert Cooper 7 May 1733–bef. 1762 (d.): Edward Hammond 21 May 1762 – 15 November 1780 (d.): John Walker 11 November 1780 – 19 April 1801 (res.): Watson Hand 2 May 1801 – 29 May 1815 (d.): Henry Hall 3 June 1815 – 13 November 1835 (d.): William England 9 January 1836 – 13 January 1862 (res.): Robert Buckle Late modern 1862–1889: Thomas Sanctuary 1889–1901 (res.): Francis Sowter[7] 1902–1927 (ret.): Charles Dundas[8][9] 1927–1929 (d.): Eric Bodington[10] 1929–7 April 1940 (d.): Okes Parish[11] 1940–22 June 1947 (d.): Harold Rodgers[12] 1948–1955: Lancelot Addison 1955–1974 (ret.): Edward Seagar (afterwards archdeacon emeritus)[13] 1975–1982 (ret.): Richard Sharp (afterwards archdeacon emeritus)[14] 1982–2000 (ret.): Geoffrey Walton (afterwards archdeacon emeritus)[15] 2000–2009 (res.): Alistair Magowan[16] 2009–2010: Patrick Evans (Acting) 18 April 2010 – 14 February 2015 (res.): Stephen Waine[17][18] 24 June 2015 – present: Antony MacRow-Wood[19] (retirement announced for June 2025)[20]