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Diocese of Ely
Diocese of the Church of England From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The Diocese of Ely is a Church of England diocese in the Province of Canterbury. It is headed by the Bishop of Ely, who sits at Ely Cathedral in Ely. There is one suffragan (subordinate) bishop, the Bishop of Huntingdon. The diocese now covers the modern ceremonial county of Cambridgeshire (excluding the Soke of Peterborough) and western Norfolk. The diocese was created in 1109 out of part of the Diocese of Lincoln.
The diocese is ancient, and the area of Ely was part of the patrimony of Saint Etheldreda. A religious house was founded in the city in 673. After her death in 679 she was buried outside the church, and her remains were later reburied inside, the foundress being commemorated as a great Anglian saint.
The diocese has had its boundaries altered various times. From an original diocese covering the historic county of Cambridgeshire and the Isle of Ely, Bedfordshire and Huntingdonshire were added in 1837 from the Diocese of Lincoln, as was the Sudbury archdeaconry in Suffolk from the Diocese of Norwich. In 1914 Bedfordshire became part of the Diocese of St Albans, and western Suffolk became part of the Diocese of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich, whilst Ely took a western part of the Diocese of Norwich. Peterborough remains the seat of the Diocese of Peterborough.[3]
Today the diocese covers an area of 1,507 square miles (3,900 km2). It has a population of 705,000 and comprises 209 benefices, 303 parishes and 335 churches with 145 stipendiary parochial clergy.
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Bishops
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The diocesan Bishop of Ely (vacant) is assisted by a Bishop suffragan of Huntingdon (Dagmar Winter).
There are also four retired bishops living in the diocese who are licensed as honorary assistant bishops:
- 2011–present: Lindsay Urwin. Former Area Bishop of Horsham.[4] At present, he is a parish priest in the Anglican Diocese of Melbourne.[5]
- 2012–present: Retired Dean of St Paul's and former Bishop of Sodor and Man Graeme Knowles lives in Bury St Edmunds (in neighbouring Eds & Ips diocese.)[6]
- 2013–present: John Flack, retired Director of the Anglican Centre in Rome & Archbishop's Representative to the Holy See and former Bishop of Huntingdon, lives in Whittlesey.[7]
- 2020–present: Graham Kings, former Bishop of Sherborne.[8]
Alternative episcopal oversight (for parishes in the diocese which reject the ministry of women priests and bishops) is provided by the provincial episcopal visitor, Norman Banks, Bishop suffragan of Richborough, who is licensed as an honorary assistant bishop of the diocese to facilitate his work there.
The Bishop of Peterborough has also been commissioned as assistant bishop in the diocese so that he can exercise pastoral care in several old Huntingdonshire parishes now within the Peterborough unitary authority: including Stanground, Orton, Woodston, Yaxley and Fletton.[9][10][11][12]
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Archdeaconries and deaneries
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The archdeaconry of Wisbech was active from 1915 to 2005. The following changes to deaneries have taken place:
- the deaneries of Fordham and Quy merged in 2002 to form the deanery of Fordham and Quy
- the deaneries of Wisbech and Lynn Marshland merged in 2002 to form the deanery of Wisbech Lynn Marshland
- the deaneries of Fincham and Feltwell were merged in 2004 to form the deanery of Fincham and Feltwell.
- the deaneries of Shelford and Linton were merged in 2009 to form the deanery of Granta.
- the deanery of Cambridge was split in 2006 into the deaneries of Cambridge North and Cambridge South.
- the deanery of Leightonstone was merged into the deanery of Huntingdon in 2004.
Deaneries in 1851
In 1851 the diocese had the following rural deaneries:[13]
- Barton (Cambs)
- Bedford (Beds)
- Blackbourn (Suffolk)
- Bourn (Cambs)
- Cambridge (Cambs)
- Camps (Cambs)
- Chesterton (Cambs)
- Clapham (Beds)
- Clare (Suffolk)
- Dunstable (Beds)
- Eaton (Beds)
- Ely (Cambs)
- Fleete (Beds)
- Fordham (Cambs/Suffolk)
- Leightonstone (Hunts)
- St Ives (Hunts)
- St Neots (Hunts)
- Shefford (Beds)
- Shingay (Cambs)
- Sudbury (Suffolk)
- Thedwastre (Suffolk)
- Thingoe (Suffolk)
- Wisbech (Cambs)
- Yaxley (Hunts)
*including Cathedral and St Peter's Ely
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Churches
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Outside deanery structures
Bourn Deanery
Closed churches in this area
Cambridge North Deanery
Churches in this area no longer used for regular worship
Cambridge South Deanery
1rededicated and rebuilt 1352; previously St Peter's-outside-Trumpington-Gates
Churches in this area no longer used for regular worship
Ely Deanery
Closed churches in the area
Fincham and Feltwell Deanery
1services held in village hall
Closed churches in the area
Fordham and Quy Deanery
1original chapel on site dedicated to St John
Closed churches in this area
1used as parish church from C16th until 1845
All Saints' church, Newmarket, was in this portion of the diocese until it was transferred to Suffolk in 1889.[93] It was a chapelry to Woodditton until the 19th century.[94] The chapelry of St Nicholas, Landwade, was also in this portion of the diocese until it was transferred to Suffolk.[95]
Granta Deanery

Closed churches in this area
Huntingdon Deanery
Closed churches in the area
St Nicholas' Church, Swineshead, was historically in this portion of the Diocese of Ely, but moved to the Diocese of St Albans when it was transferred from Huntingdonshire to Bedfordshire.[126] St James the Great, Thurning, was historically in this are, but moved to the Diocese of Peterborough when the parish was transferred wholly to Northamptonshire (the parish church was always in Northamptonshire).[127]
March Deanery
1medieval chapel of St James demolished. Church of St Mary built 1854, demolished 1985. Church room built 2012.
Closed churches in the area
North Stowe Deanery
Closed churches in this area
St Ives Deanery
Closed churches in the area
St Neots Deanery
Closed churches in this area
Shingay Deanery
Closed churches in this area
Wisbech Lynn Marshland Deanery
Closed churches in this area
Yaxley Deanery
Closed churches in this area
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Diocesan news publications
Dedications
Medieval churches (and chapelries)
- All Saints: Barrington, Botolph Bridge, Brington, Broughton, Buckworth, Cambridge (x2), Castle Camps, Conington (Hunts), Coppingford, Cottenham, Covington, Croydon, Denton, Ellington, Elm, Elton, Fulbourn, Grafham, Hamerton, Harston, Hartford, Haslingfield, Horseheath, Huntingdon, Kirtling, Knapwell, Landbeach, Little Shelford, Lolworth, Longstanton, Melbourn, Milton, Morborne, [Newmarket], Offord Cluny, Pidley-cum-Fenton, Rampton, St Ives, Sawtry, Shepreth, Silverley, Teversham, Thriplow,[209] Tilbrook, Willingham (near Carlton), Winwick, Woodditton,[210] Wyton
- All Saints & St Andrew: Kingston
- Assumption of Mary: Harlton, West Wickham[211]
- Corpus Christi: Murrow
- Holy Cross: Bury, Stuntney, Yelling
- Holy Sepulchre: Cambridge
- Holy Trinity: Balsham, Bottisham, Cambridge, Elsworth, Ely, Great Paxton, Haddenham, Hildersham, Huntingdon, Meldreth, Orton Longueville
- St Andrew: Abbots Ripton, Alwalton, Burwell, Cambridge (x2), Caxton, Cherry Hinton, Chesterton (Cambs), Girton, Grantchester,[212] Great Staughton, Histon, Huntingdon, Isleham, Kimbolton, Oakington, Orwell, Sawtry, Soham, Stapleford, Steeple Gidding, Sutton, Swavesey, Toft, West Wratting, Whittlesey, Whittlesford,[213] Wimpole, Witchford, Wood Walton
- St Anne: Cambridge
- St Augustine: Burrough Green, Woodston
- St Bartholomew: Great Gransden, Great Stukeley
- St Benedict Cambridge, Huntingdon
- St Botolph: Cambridge, Graveley, Huntingdon, Stow Longa
- St Catherine: Litlington, Newton-in-the-Isle[184]
- St Clement: Cambridge, Huntingdon
- SS Cyriac & Julitta: Swaffham Prior
- St Denis: East Hatley
- St Edmund: Emneth, Hauxton, Huntingdon
- St Edward the Martyr: Cambridge
- St Etheldreda: Histon, Impington,[214] Reach
- St George: Hatley St George, Huntingdon, Littleport, Thetford
- St Germain: Huntingdon
- St Giles: Barham, Cambridge, Holme, Tydd St Giles
- St Helen: Bourn,[215] Colne, Folksworth, Little Eversden
- St James: Benwick,[216] Croxton, Earith, Hemingford Grey, Howes, Little Paxton, Little Raveley, Newton,[217] Redreth, Spaldwick, Stretham, [Thurning], Waresley
- St John the Baptist: Ashley (hospital chapel), Cambridge, Duxford, Holywell-cum-Needingworth, Huntingdon, Keyston, Pampisford, Parson Drove, Reach, Somersham, Stanground, Tadlow,[218] Wistow, Woodhurst
- St John the Evangelist: Little Gidding, Little Wilbraham, Waterbeach
- St Lawrence: Bythorn, Diddington, Foxton, Huntingdon, Wicken
- St Leonard: Downham, Great Catworth, Leverington, Southoe
- St Margaret: Abbotsley, Chippenham, Fletton, Hemingford Abbots, Little Staughton,[219] Upton
- St Martin: Huntingdon, Little Stukeley, Witcham
- St Mary: Ashley, Bartlow, Bluntisham, Brinkley, Buckden, Burwell, Cambridge, Cheveley, Childerley, Clopton, Comberton, Conington (Cambs), Doddington, Dullingham, Earith Bridge, Ely, Everton, Eynesbury, Farcet, Fen Ditton, Fen Drayton, Fordham,[220] Fowlmere, Gamlingay, Godmanchester, Great Abington, Great Eversden, Great Shelford, Guilden Morden, Haddon, Hardwick, Haslingfield, Hinxton,[221] Houghton, Huntingdon, Ickleton,[222] Leighton Bromswold, Linton, Little Abington, Longstowe, Mepal, Newton-in-the-Isle, Orton Waterville, Over, St Neots, Sawston, Sawtry Judith, Shingay, Shudy Camps, Stow, Swaffham Bulbeck, Swaffham Prior, Wendy,[223] Westley Waterless, Weston Colville, Whaddon, Whittlesey, Wisbech, Woolley
- St Mary Magdalene: Brampton, Caldecote (Hunts), Hilton, Kneesworth, Madingley, Stilton, Stourbridge, Warboys
- St Matthew: Willingham[224]
- St Michael: Abington Pigotts, Caldecote (Cambs), Cambridge, Chesterton (Hunts), Chettisham, Great Gidding, Huntingdon, Longstanton, Toseland
- St Nicholas: Arrington, Barway, Glatton, Great Wilbraham, Hail Weston, Huntingdon, Kennett, [Landwade], Manea, Quy, [Swineshead], Trumpington[225]
- St Pandionia: Eltisley[226]
- St Peter: Babraham, Barton, Boxworth, Cambridge (x2), Carlton, Coton, Duxford, Easton, Horningsea, Huntingdon, Kings Ripton, Molesworth, Offord D'Arcy, Old Hurst, Papworth Everard, Papworth St Agnes,[227] Snailwell, Stetchworth, Upwood, Wentworth, Wilburton, Wisbech, Yaxley
- St Peter-ad-Vincula: Coveney
- SS Peter & Paul: Alconbury, Bassingbourn, Chatteris, Dry Drayton, Fenstanton, Little Gransden, Steeple Morden
- St Radegund: Cambridge
- St Swithin: Abington Pigotts, Old Weston
- St Thomas Becket: Ramsey
- St Vigor: Fulbourn
- St Wendreda: March
- No dedication/dedication unknown: Eastrea, Eldernell, Guyhirn, Washingley
Post-medieval churches
- Christ Church: Cambridge (1837), Christchurch (1864), Ely (2016), Huntingdon (2018), Orton Goldhay (c. 2000)
- Christ the Redeemer: Cambridge (C20th)
- Christ the Servant King: Hampton (2014)
- Emmanuel: Southea (1872)
- Good Shepherd: Cambridge (1958)
- Holy Cross: Cambridge (c. 1950)
- Holy Trinity: Coates (1839), Nordelph (1865), Pymoor (1865), Saxon Street (1877)
- Holy Trinity & St Etheldreda: Reach (1861)
- Pathfinder Church: Northstowe (2021)
- St Augustine: Cambridge (1898), Wisbech (1868)
- St Barnabas: Cambridge (1869), Huntingdon (1969)
- St Eanswyth: Welches Dam (1909)
- St Etheldreda: Coldham (1876), Queen Adelaide (1883)
- St George: Chesterton (Cambs) (1938), Six Mile Bottom (1890s)
- St James: Cambridge (1955), Lode (1853)
- St John the Evangelist: Cambridge (x2) (1874, 1891), Little Ouse (1866), March (1872), Orchard Park (2013)
- St Luke: Cambridge (1863)
- St Mark: Friday Bridge (1860), Newnham (1870)
- St Martin: Cambridge (1932)
- St Mary: Benwick (1854), March (1873), Ramsey St Mary (1858), Welney (C17th)
- St Mary Magdalene: Guyhirn (1878), March (1891)
- St Matthew: Cambridge (1866), Littleport (1878)
- St Michael: Stanground (C20th)
- St Owen: Downham Fen (1895)
- St Paul: Cambridge (1841), Gorefield (1870)
- St Peter: Chatteris (1906), Ely (1890), March (1880), Prickwillow (1866), Wimblington (1874)
- St Philip: Cambridge (1889)
- St Stephen: Angle Bridge (1877), Cambridge (c. 1940)
- St Thomas: Cambridge (1980), Pondersbridge (C19th)
- No dedication/dedication unknown: Bar Hill (1967), Cambourne (1990s), Wisbech (1831)
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