The

Archdeacon An archdeacon is a senior clergy position in the Church of the East, Chaldean Catholic Church, Syriac Orthodox Church, Anglican Communion, St Thomas Christians, Eastern Orthodox churches and some other Christian denominations, above that o ...

of Oxford is a senior ecclesiastical officer in the

Diocese of Oxford The Diocese of Oxford is a Church of England diocese that forms part of the Province of Canterbury. The diocese is led by the Bishop of Oxford (currently Steven Croft), and the bishop's seat is at Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford. It contains m ...

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

. The office responsibility includes the care of clergy and church buildings within the area of the ''Archdeaconry of Oxford.''

History

The first archdeacon of Oxford is recorded before 1092 – around the time when archdeacons were first appointed across England – in the

Diocese of Lincoln The Diocese of Lincoln forms part of the Province of Canterbury in England. The present diocese covers the ceremonial county of Lincolnshire. History The diocese traces its roots in an unbroken line to the Pre-Reformation Diocese of Leices ...

. He was one of eight archdeacons appointed by the bishop:

Lincoln Lincoln most commonly refers to: * Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865), the sixteenth president of the United States * Lincoln, England, cathedral city and county town of Lincolnshire, England * Lincoln, Nebraska, the capital of Nebraska, U.S. * Lincoln ...

Huntingdon Huntingdon is a market town in the Huntingdonshire district in Cambridgeshire, England. The town was given its town charter by King John in 1205. It was the county town of the historic county of Huntingdonshire. Oliver Cromwell was born there ...

Northampton Northampton () is a market town and civil parish in the East Midlands of England, on the River Nene, north-west of London and south-east of Birmingham. The county town of Northamptonshire, Northampton is one of the largest towns in England; ...

Leicester Leicester ( ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, city, Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority and the county town of Leicestershire in the East Midlands of England. It is the largest settlement in the East Midlands. The city l ...

Buckingham Buckingham ( ) is a market town in north Buckinghamshire, England, close to the borders of Northamptonshire and Oxfordshire, which had a population of 12,890 at the 2011 Census. The town lies approximately west of Central Milton Keynes, sou ...

Bedford Bedford is a market town in Bedfordshire, England. At the 2011 Census, the population of the Bedford built-up area (including Biddenham and Kempston) was 106,940, making it the second-largest settlement in Bedfordshire, behind Luton, whilst ...

and

Stow Stow may refer to: Places United Kingdom * Stow, Lincolnshire or Stow-in-Lindsey, a village * Stow of Wedale or Stow, Scottish Borders, a village * Stow-on-the-Wold, Gloucestershire, a small town * Stow, Shropshire or Stowe, a village * Stow ...

. In the Henrican Reorganization, the archdeaconry was transferred to the newly-erected

in 1546. On 1 March 2014, the Archdeaconry of Oxford was split to create the new Archdeaconry of Dorchester;Ridgeway Broadsheet, March 2014
(Accessed 24 May 2014) the Archdeaconry of Oxford now consists solely of the City of Oxford itself, whereas the rest of the county of Oxfordshire is now in the Archdeaconry of Dorchester. The Archdeacon of Oxford continues to be Residentiary Canon of Christ Church and has strategic roles across the Diocese of Oxford as a whole, for example as Interfaith Advisor.

List of archdeacons

High Medieval

*bef. 1092–?:

Alfred Alfred may refer to: Arts and entertainment *''Alfred J. Kwak'', Dutch-German-Japanese anime television series * ''Alfred'' (Arne opera), a 1740 masque by Thomas Arne * ''Alfred'' (Dvořák), an 1870 opera by Antonín Dvořák *"Alfred (Interlu ...

(first archdeacon) *bef. 1112–aft. 1151:

Walter of Oxford Walter of Oxford (died 1151) ( la, Valterus Calenius) was a cleric and writer. He served as archdeacon of Oxford in the 12th century. Walter was a friend of Geoffrey of Monmouth, who claimed he got his chief source for the ''Historia Regum Britanni ...

*bef. 1151–1173 (res.):

Robert Foliot Robert Foliot (died 1186) was a medieval Bishop of Hereford in England. He was a relative of a number of English ecclesiastics, including Gilbert Foliot, one of his predecessors at Hereford. After serving Alexander, Bishop of Lincoln as a clerk, ...

*bef. 1176–1183 (res.):

Walter de Coutances Walter may refer to: People * Walter (name), both a surname and a given name * Little Walter, American blues harmonica player Marion Walter Jacobs (1930–1968) * Gunther (wrestler), Austrian professional wrestler and trainer Walter Hahn (born 19 ...

*–1196 (res.):

John of Coutances John of Coutances was a medieval Bishop of Worcester. John was a nephew of Walter of Coutances, Bishop of Lincoln and was treasurer of the diocese of Lisieux before his uncle appointed him Archdeacon of Oxford sometime before December 1184. He ...

(also Dean of Rouen from 1188) *bef. 1197–aft. 1208:

Walter Map Walter Map ( la, Gualterius Mappus; 1130 – 1210) was a medieval writer. He wrote ''De nugis curialium'', which takes the form of a series of anecdotes of people and places, offering insights on the history of his time. Map was a courti ...

(elected

Bishop of Hereford The Bishop of Hereford is the ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Hereford in the Province of Canterbury. The episcopal see is centred in the Hereford, City of Hereford where the bishop's seat (''cathedra'') is in the Hereford Cathedr ...

in 1199 and

Bishop of St David's The Bishop of St Davids is the Ordinary (officer), ordinary of the Church in Wales Diocese of St Davids. The succession of bishops stretches back to Saint David who in the 6th century established his seat in what is today the St Davids, city of ...

in 1203) *bef. 1212–1221 (d.): John of Tynemouth *bef. 1221–1221 (res.):

Matthew Stratton Matthew may refer to: * Matthew (given name) * Matthew (surname) * ''Matthew'' (ship), the replica of the ship sailed by John Cabot in 1497 * ''Matthew'' (album), a 2000 album by rapper Kool Keith * Matthew (elm cultivar), a cultivar of the ...

(became

Archdeacon of Buckingham The Archdeacon of Buckingham is the senior ecclesiastical officer in charge of the Church of England in Buckinghamshire. The archdeacon has statutory oversight over the ancient Archdeaconry of Buckingham, which has existed since (at latest) the 11 ...

) *bef. 1222 – February 1236 (d.):

Adam de Sancto Edmundo Adam; el, Ἀδάμ, Adám; la, Adam is the name given in Genesis 1-5 to the first human. Beyond its use as the name of the first man, ''adam'' is also used in the Bible as a pronoun, individually as "a human" and in a collective sense as ...

*bef. 1237–1240 (res.):

Roger Weseham Roger Weseham (also Roger de Weseham; died 1257) was an English medieval Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield. Weseham was probably a native of Weasenham, Norfolk,Either Weasenham All Saints or Weasenham St Peter and was educated at Oxford Univers ...

*bef. 1240–aft. 1249:

John de Sancto Egidio John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second ...

*bef. 1250–aft. 1252:

Richard of Gravesend Richard of Gravesend (or Richard de Gravesend; died 18 December 1279) was a medieval Bishop of Lincoln. Life Richard was a native of Gravesend in Kent.Greenway Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae 1066–1300: Volume 3: Lincoln: Bishops of Lincoln' He wa ...

*–aft. 1258 (res.):

Robert de Mariscis Robert de Mariscis ''(Robert Marsh)'' was a Priest in the Roman Catholic Church. Career Robert de Mariscis first appears in April 1242 as an "official" (most likely a canon) of the Archdeacon of Wells Robert is recorded as a "Bishop Robert Gross ...

*bef. 1259–1263 (res.):

Henry of Sandwich Henry of Sandwich (died 1273) was a medieval Bishop of London. Life Henry was the son of Henry of Sandwich, a knight from Sandwich, Kent. He held the prebend of Weldland in the diocese of London.Greenway Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae 1066-1300: Vol ...

*bef. 1263–aft. 1272 (res.):

Richard de Mepham Richard is a male given name. It originates, via Old French, from Old Frankish and is a compound of the words descending from Proto-Germanic ''*rīk-'' 'ruler, leader, king' and ''*hardu-'' 'strong, brave, hardy', and it therefore means 'stron ...

(previously

Archdeacon of Stafford The Archdeacon of Lichfield (called Archdeacon of Stafford until 1980) is a senior cleric in the Diocese of Lichfield who is responsible for pastoral care and discipline of clergy in the Lichfield archdeaconry. The archdeaconry was erected – as ...

; became Dean of Lincoln) *bef. 1273–1274 (res.):

John de Maidenstan John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second ...

(previously

Archdeacon of Bedford The Archdeacon of Bedford is an ecclesiastical post in the Church of England Diocese of St Albans in the Province of Canterbury. Historically the post was in the Diocese of Lincoln, then from 1837 in the Diocese of Ely, England. On 13 April 1914, ...

; became

Dean of Lincoln The Dean of Lincoln is the head of the Chapter of Lincoln Cathedral in the city of Lincoln, England in the Church of England Diocese of Lincoln. Christine Wilson was installed as Dean on 22 October 2016.

) *bef. November 1274–bef. 1277: W. *bef. 1278–1280 (res.): Nicholas de Hegham *bef. 1284–aft. 1284: ''unnamed archdeacon; possible Simon of Ghent.'' *bef. 1284–1297 (res.):

Simon of Ghent __NOTOC__ Simon of Ghent (or Simon de Gandavo; died 1315) was a medieval Bishop of Salisbury in England. Simon was a prebendary of the diocese of Salisbury and Chancellor (education), Chancellor of Oxford University, as well as Archdeacon of Dioc ...

*1297–1298 (deprived): Pontius de Salino (lost dispute with Amadeus of Savoy) *bef. 1298–aft. 1299: Amadeus of Savoy (Archdeacon of Rheims; probably ineffective) *15 February 1298 – 5 November 1303 (d.): William de Sardene

Late Medieval

*10 December 1303–bef. 1313 (d.):

Gilbert Segrave Gilbert Segrave (1266 – 1316) was a medieval Bishop of London A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally respons ...

*12 March 1313 – 20 December 1356 (d.): Gaillard Cardinal de la Motte/ Mothe (

Cardinal-deacon A cardinal ( la, Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae cardinalis, literally 'cardinal of the Holy Roman Church') is a senior member of the clergy of the Catholic Church. Cardinals are created by the ruling pope and typically hold the title for life. Col ...

Santa Lucia in Orthea The Church of Saint Lucy in Selci ( it, Santa Lucia in Selci, also known as ' or ') is an ancient Roman Catholic church, located in Rome, dedicated to Saint Lucy, a 4th-century virgin and martyr. History The church was built no later than the ...

) *bef. 1368–30 January 1404 (exch.): Thomas Southam (became

Archdeacon of Berkshire The Archdeacon of Berkshire (also rendered Archdeacon of Berks) is a senior ecclesiastical officer in the Church of England Diocese of Oxford. The archdeacon is the head of the archdeaconry of Berkshire, a post historically found within the diocese ...

) *9 February 1404 – 23 February 1441 (d.): John Southam *bef. 1458-bef. 1467 (res.): Fulk Birmingham *2 July 1467–bef. 1472 (d.): John Boteler *10 October 1472 – 1482 (res.):

Lionel Woodville Lionel Woodville (1447 – 23 June 1484) was a Bishop of Salisbury in England. Life Woodville was a fourth son of Richard Woodville, 1st Earl Rivers and Jacquetta of Luxembourg; his siblings included Elizabeth Woodville, Queen Consort fro ...

*17 April 1482 – 1493 (res.):

Oliver King Oliver King (29 August 1503) was a Bishop of Exeter and Bishop of Bath and Wells who restored Bath Abbey after 1500. Early life King was educated at Eton, where he was a king's scholar, and King's College, Cambridge, where he graduated Maste ...

*24 January 1493 – 1504 (res.):

Richard Mayew Richard Mayew (1439/40–1516), also written Mayo, was an English academic, who became Bishop of Hereford (1504 to 1516) and a diplomat for Henry VII of England. Biography Mayew was born in Hungerford, Berkshire, England. He was President of M ...

*15 November 1504–bef. 1522 (d.):

Christopher Urswick Christopher Urswick (1448–1522) was a priest and confessor of Margaret Beaufort. He was Rector of Puttenham, Hertfordshire, and later Dean of Windsor. Urswick is thought to have acted as a go-between in the plotting to place her son Henry VII of ...

Dean of Windsor The Dean of Windsor is the spiritual head of the canons of St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle, England. The dean chairs meetings of the Chapter of Canons as ''primus inter pares''. The post of Dean of Wolverhampton was assimilated to the deane ...

until 1505 (also

Archdeacon of Wilts The Archdeacon of Wilts (or Wiltshire) is a senior cleric in the Diocese of Salisbury, England. The archdeacon is responsible for the disciplinary supervision of the clergy in five deaneries: Marlborough, Pewsey, Calne, Bradford and Devizes. Sue ...

Archdeacon of Norfolk The Archdeacon of Norfolk is a senior ecclesiastical officer in the Church of England Diocese of Norwich, who exercises supervision of clergy and responsibility for church buildings within the geographical area of their archdeaconry. The current a ...

and Rector of Hackney) *24 March 1522 – 1528 (res.):

George Heneage George Fieschi Heneage (22 November 1800 – 11 May 1864) was a British Whig and later Conservative Party politician. Background Heneage was the son of George Robert Heneage of Hainton Hall, Lincolnshire and Frances Anne, daughter of Lieutena ...

*7 October 1528–?: Nicholas Wilson *19 January 1535–bef. 1543 (d.):

Richard Curwen Richard Curwen, D.D. was an English Anglican priest in the 16th century. Curwen was a Fellow of Corpus Christi College, Oxford. He held the living at St Michael, Crooked Lane in the City of London and was a Canon of Lincoln Cathedral. He was a ...

Early modern

*1543–10 May 1561 (d.): Walter Wright :''On 26 January 1546, the archdeaconry was transferred to the new

.'' *1561–aft. 1592:

John Kennall John Kennall (aka John Kenold) (1511–1592) was Archdeacon of Oxford and a noted Religious pluralism, pluralist. Kennall was educated at Christ Church, Oxford. He was Canon (priest), Canon of 8th Prebend, preb., Christ Church, Oxford, from 1559 ...

*1592–7 June 1614 (d.): John Drewry *17 June 1614–bef. 1624 (d.):

William Bridges William or Bill Bridges may refer to: * William Bridges (author) (1933–2013), American writer and organizational consultant * William Bridges (general) (1861–1915), commander of the Australian Army's First Australian Imperial Force in 1 ...

*1625–2 October 1661 (d.):

Barten Holyday Barten Holyday or Holiday (1593 – 2 October 1661) was an English clergyman, author and poet.F. D. A. Burns, ‘Holyday , Barten (1593–1661)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 Career He was educated ...

*July 1663 – 1664 (dep.):

Thomas Lamplugh Thomas Lamplugh (1615 – 5 May 1691) was an English churchman who became Archbishop of York. Life He was the son of Christopher Lamplugh of Thwing, East Riding of Yorkshire, Yorkshire and his wife Anne, daughter and coheir of Thomas Roper of ...

(lost dispute with Barlow) *13 June 1664 – 1675 (res.): Thomas Barlow (became

Bishop of Lincoln The Bishop of Lincoln is the ordinary (diocesan bishop) of the Church of England Diocese of Lincoln in the Province of Canterbury. The present diocese covers the county of Lincolnshire and the unitary authority areas of North Lincolnshire and ...

) *12 July 1675 – 21 July 1704 (d.):

Timothy Halton Timothy Halton D.D. (1632?–1704) was an English churchman and academic, Provost of Queen's College, Oxford, from 1677. Life He has been identified with the Timothy Halton, son of Miles Halton of Greenthwaite Hall, Cumberland, northern England ...

*5 August 1704 – 20 January 1707 (d.):

Humphrey Hody Humphrey Hody (1659 – 20 January 1707) was an English scholar and theologian. Life He was born at Odcombe in Somerset in 1659. In 1676 he entered Wadham College, Oxford, of which he became a fellow in 1685. In 1692 he became chaplain to ...

*5 February 1707 – 1715 (res.):

Timothy Goodwin Timothy Goodwin, Godwin or Godwyn (1670?–1729) was an English churchman, who became archbishop of Cashel. Life He was born at Norwich, probably about 1670. He began his education at the nonconformist academy of Samuel Cradock, at Geesings, S ...

(became

Bishop of Kilmore and Ardagh The Bishop of Kilmore and Ardagh was the Ordinary of the Church of Ireland diocese of Kilmore and Ardagh in the Province of Armagh. The Diocese of Kilmore composed most of County Cavan and parts of counties Leitrim, Fermanagh, Meath and Sli ...

) *21 March 1715 – 1723 (res.): William Baker (became

Bishop of Bangor The Bishop of Bangor is the ordinary of the Church in Wales Diocese of Bangor. The see is based in the city of Bangor where the bishop's seat (''cathedra'') is at Cathedral Church of Saint Deiniol. The ''Report of the Commissioners appointed ...

) *27 April 1724 – 1724 (d.): Robert Cook *26 August 1724 – 4 July 1741 (d.): George Rye *23 September 1741–bef. 1767 (res.): John Potter (became

Dean of Canterbury The Dean of Canterbury is the head of the Chapter of the Cathedral of Christ Church, Canterbury, England. The current office of Dean originated after the English Reformation, although Deans had also existed before this time; its immediate precur ...

) *19 January 1767 – 24 March 1783 (d.): Thomas Randolph *30 June 1783 – 30 October 1797 (d.): George Turner *11 November 1797 – 4 February 1830 (d.):

Phineas Pett Phineas Pett (1 November 1570 – August 1647) was a shipwright and First Resident Commissioner of Chatham Dockyard and a member of the Pett dynasty. Phineas left a memoir of his activities which is preserved in the British Library and was publi ...

*9 March 1830 – 24 December 1877 (d.):

Charles Clerke Captain Charles Clerke (22 August 1741 – 22 August 1779) was an officer in the Royal Navy who sailed on four voyages of exploration, three with Captain James Cook. When Cook was killed during his 3rd expedition to the Pacific, Clerke took co ...

Late modern

*1878–1895 (d.): Edwin Palmer *1895–1902 (res.): Leslie Randall, Bishop suffragan of Reading *1903–1921 (ret.): Thomas Archer Houblon *1921–1936 (ret.): Edward Shaw,

Assistant Bishop An assistant bishop in the Anglican Communion is a bishop appointed to assist a diocesan bishop. Church of England In the established Church of England, assistant bishops are usually retired (diocesan or suffragan) bishops – in which case they ...

*1936–1952 (ret.):

Gerald Allen Gerald Burton Allen (1885–1956) was a British scholar and a Church of England priest and bishop. Life Allen was born into a clerical family, being the eldest son of The Reverend T.K. Allen, sometime Vicar of Weyhill.Who was Who He was edu ...

(also an

until 1939; Bishop suffragan of Dorchester from 1939) *1957–1982 (ret.):

Carlyle Witton-Davies Carlyle Witton-Davies (10 June 1913 – 25 March 1993) was an Anglican priest and scholar. He was born the son of T. Witton-Davies, Professor of Hebrew at the University College of North Wales, Bangor and educated at Friars School, Bangor; Univ ...

(also Sub-

Dean of Christ Church The Dean of Christ Church is the dean of Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford and head of the governing body of Christ Church, a constituent college of the University of Oxford. The cathedral is the mother church of the Church of England Diocese of ...

from 1972; afterwards archdeacon emeritus) *1982–1997 (res.): Frank Weston (became Bishop suffragan of Knaresborough) *1998–2005 (ret.): John Morrison (afterwards archdeacon emeritus) *2005–2011 (res.): Julian Hubbard (became Director of Ministry Division) *2011–2013 ''(Acting)'':

Hedley Ringrose Hedley Sidney Ringrose (29 June 1942 – 15 April 2021) was the Archdeacon of Cheltenham from 1998 to 2009. Ringrose studied for ordination at Salisbury Theological College and was ordained in 1969. After curacies at Bishopston, Bristol and E ...

, Acting Archdeacon ** Judy French, Assistant Archdeacon *4 May 201328 January 2020:

Martin Gorick Martin Charles William Gorick (born 23 June 1962) is a British Anglican bishop, who has served since 2020 as Bishop of Dudley, the sole suffragan bishop in the Church of England Diocese of Worcester. He was previously Archdeacon of Oxford in the ...

(became Bishop suffragan of Dudley) *1 May 2020present:

Jonathan Chaffey Jonathan Paul Michael Chaffey, (born 1962) is a British Church of England priest and former military chaplain, who served with the Royal Air Force. He serves as Archdeacon of Oxford in the same diocese; from 2014 to 2018 he served as the Chaplai ...

Archdeacons of Dorchester

In 2013 and 2014, the Diocese of Oxford discussed and resolved to undertake some pastoral alterations; the new archdeaconry of Dorchester was created on 1 March 2014. On 19 June 2014, Judy French was collated the first Archdeacon of Dorchester; retired archdeacon

was Interim Archdeacon since 2013. French retired effective 30 September 2022.

References

Sources

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Oxford, Archdeacon of Lists of Anglicans

Archdeacon of Oxford The Archdeacon of Oxford is a senior ecclesiastical officer in the Diocese of Oxford, Church of England, England. The office responsibility includes the care of clergy and church buildings within the area of the ''Archdeaconry of Oxford.'' Histo ...

Lists of English people