Bill Down

Not to be confused with Bill Downe.

William John Denbigh Down (15 July 1934 – 4 February 2025) was a British cleric who was the ninth Bishop of Bermuda and later the Assistant Bishop of Leicester.

Bill Down
Assistant Bishop of Leicester
Diocese	Diocese of Leicester
In office	1995–2001
Predecessor	Godfrey Ashby
Successor	John Austin
Other post(s)	Bishop of Bermuda (1990–1995) Honorary assistant bishop in Oxford (2001–2021)
Orders
Ordination	1959 (deacon); 1960 (priest)
Consecration	1990
Personal details
Born	15 July 1934 Surrey, United Kingdom
Died	4 February 2025 (aged 90) Oxford, United Kingdom
Nationality	British
Denomination	Anglican
Parents	William & Beryl Down
Spouse	Sylvia Aves (m. 1960)
Children	2 sons; 2 daughters
Profession	Missionary; writer
Alma mater	St John's College, Cambridge

Biography

Educated at St John's College, Cambridge, Down was ordained in 1960. His first post was as a curate at St Paul's Church, Salisbury, after which he was secretary to the Missions to Seaman, chaplain of St Michael Paternoster Royal,^[1] and honorary chaplain to the Carmen's Company^[2] until his ordination to the episcopate in 1990.^[3][4] He returned to England as the Assistant Bishop of Leicester in 1995^[5] before retiring in 2001.^[6] He was ultimately honorary assistant bishop in the Diocese of Oxford, where he settled at Witney.^[7]

Down died on 4 February 2025, at the age of 90.^[8]