The Royal Almonry is a small office within the

Royal Households of the United Kingdom The Royal Households of the United Kingdom are the collective departments that support members of the British royal family. Many members of the royal family who undertake public duties have separate households. They vary considerably in size, ...

, headed by the Lord High Almoner, an office dating from 1103. The almoner is responsible for distributing

alms Alms (, ) are money, food, or other material goods donated to people living in poverty. Providing alms is often considered an act of virtue or Charity (practice), charity. The act of providing alms is called almsgiving, and it is a widespread p ...

to the poor. The Lord High Almoner is usually a diocesan bishop or high cleric of the Church of England. The current holder of the office is the

Bishop of Worcester 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 responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ca ...

, the Right Reverend

John Inge John Geoffrey Inge ( ; born 26 February 1955) is a bishop in the Church of England. He is currently the Bishop of Worcester in the Diocese of Worcester. From 2003 to 2007, he was Bishop of Huntingdon, a suffragan bishop in the Diocese of Ely. ...

. There is also an hereditary Grand Almoner, an office dating from 1685 and vested in the person of the Marquess of Exeter, but this is not an office of the Royal Almonry and he has no role to play. The actual work of the office is undertaken by the Sub-Almoner (currently Paul Wright), who is also the

Deputy Clerk of the Closet The Deputy Clerk of the Closet is the Domestic Chaplain to the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. The office was created in 1677. Since 1931, the Deputy Clerk is also the sub-dean of the Chapel Royal (under the Clerk of the Closet). The Deputy Cler ...

of the Ecclesiastical Household, Sub-dean of the

Chapel Royal The Chapel Royal is an establishment in the Royal Household serving the spiritual needs of the sovereign and the British Royal Family. Historically it was a body of priests and singers that travelled with the monarch. The term is now also applie ...

, and Domestic Chaplain at

Buckingham Palace Buckingham Palace () is a London royal residence and the administrative headquarters of the monarch of the United Kingdom. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is often at the centre of state occasions and royal hospitality. It ...

. There are in addition a Secretary, and Assistant Secretary, both offices of which are shared with other Royal Household appointments. There are also half a dozen wandsmen. The Almonry is responsible to the Keeper of the Privy Purse for the arrangements for the annual Maundy service.

Lord High Almoners

;Henry III (1216) * John Leukenor, Knight Templar *1233: Brother John and Brother Geoffrey (to 1239) *1255–''unknown'': Simon of Offam *1256–''unknown'': John of Colchester *1257: John the Chaplain ;Edward I (1272) * Friar Ralph *c.1280–1307: Master Henry of Blunsdon ;Edward II (1307) * c.1323: Adam de Brome ;Edward III (1327) * c.1340: Philip Weston * Thomas Hatfield ( Bishop of Durham, 1345) ;Richard II (1377) * 1383: William Walsham ;Henry IV (1399) *1399: Robert Eslakby *? –1413 Earl of Cambridge ;Henry V (1413) * 1413–''unknown'':

James Tuchet, 5th Baron Audley James Tuchet, 5th Baron Audley, 2nd Baron Tuchet (c. 1398 – 23 September 1459) of Heleigh Castle was an English peer. James Tuchet, 5th Baron Audley, son of Elizabeth Stafford and her husband John Tuchet, 4th Baron Audley, was a distinguished ...

; Henry VI (1422) * 142n–''unknown'': John Snell * ?–1432: John De la Bere (later Bishop of St David's, 1447) * 1432–1438: Robert Felton * 1438–''unknown'': Henry Sever,

Chancellor Chancellor ( la, cancellarius) is a title of various official positions in the governments of many nations. The original chancellors were the of Roman courts of justice—ushers, who sat at the or lattice work screens of a basilica or law cou ...

St Paul's Cathedral St Paul's Cathedral is an Anglican cathedral in London and is the seat of the Bishop of London. The cathedral serves as the mother church of the Diocese of London. It is on Ludgate Hill at the highest point of the City of London and is a Grad ...

;Edward IV (1461) * 1461–?1466: Thomas Wilford * ?1466–1468: Thomas Bonyfaunt * 1468–1476: John Gunthorpe, Dean of Wells and, until 1478,

Archdeacon of Essex The Archdeacon of West Ham is a senior ecclesiastical officer – in charge of the Archdeaconry of West Ham – in the Church of England Diocese of Chelmsford. The current archdeacon is Elwin Cockett. Brief history Historically, the Archdeaconry ...

* 1471: Alexander Legh * 1476–1483: Thomas Danet * 1483: Walter Felde ;Richard III (1483) * 1483-1485 John Taillour ;Henry VII (1485) * 1485–1495: Christopher Urswick * 1495-1497: Richard FitzJames * 1497–''unknown'':

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 ...

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 ...

(died 1516) * ''unknown'': Christopher Bainbridge * 28 January 1507 - 1509: John Ednam (Edenham) * ''unknown''–1509: Thomas Hobbes, Dean of Exeter. ;Henry VIII (1509); Edward VI (1547); Mary I (1553) * 1509–1514: Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, Archbishop of York (etc.) * 1514–''unknown'':

Richard Rawlins Richard Rawlins (died 1536) was Bishop of St David's between the years 1523 and 1536. He graduated B.D. in 1492, D.D. in 1495, was a fellow in 1480, and warden of Merton College, Oxford in 1508 to 1521. He was installed rector of St. Mary Woolno ...

Archdeacon of Huntingdon The Archdeacon of Huntingdon and Wisbech is a senior ecclesiastical officer in the Diocese of Ely. The archdeacon is responsible for some clergy discipline and pastoral care in the Archdeaconry of Huntingdon and Wisbech. History The Archdeaconry ...

(later Bishop of St David's), 1523) (died 1528) * 1521–''unknown'':

John Longland John Longland (1473 – 7 May 1547) was the English Dean of Salisbury from 1514 to 1521 and Bishop of Lincoln from 1521 to his death in 1547. Career He was made a Demy at Magdalen College, Oxford in 1491 and became a Fellow. He was King Henry ...

, Bishop of Lincoln (died 1547) * 1523–''unknown'': Edward Lee (later Archbishop of York, 1531) * 1530–''unknown'':

John Stokesley John Stokesley (8 September 1475 – 8 September 1539) was an English clergyman who was Bishop of London during the reign of Henry VIII. Life Stokesley was born at Collyweston in Northamptonshire, and became a fellow of Magdalen College, Oxford ...

, Bishop of London (died 1539) *c.1532–1537: Edward Foxe,

, 1535 * 1537–>1555: Nicholas Heath,

Bishop of Rochester The Bishop of Rochester is the ordinary of the Church of England's Diocese of Rochester in the Province of Canterbury. The town of Rochester has the bishop's seat, at the Cathedral Church of Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary, which was foun ...

Chronica juridicialia (died 1578) ;Elizabeth I (1558) * 1559–1561: William Bill, Master of Trinity * 1561–1572: Edmund Guest,

. * 1576–''unknown'': John Piers, Bishop of Salisbury, later Archbishop of York. {died 1594) * 29 March 1572 – 1591:

Edmund Freke Edmund Freke (also spelled Freake or Freak; c. 1516–1591) was an English dean and bishop. Life He was born in Essex, and educated at Cambridge, gaining his M.A. there c. 1550. In 1565 he was appointed Canon of the sixth stall at St George's ...

* 1591–1594: Richard Fletcher, Bishop of Bristol * 1595–''unknown'': Anthony Watson, Bishop of Chichester (died 1605) ;James I (1603) * 1605–''1626'': Lancelot Andrewes, Bishop of Chichester, then of

Ely Ely or ELY may refer to: Places Ireland * Éile, a medieval kingdom commonly anglicised Ely * Ely Place, Dublin, a street United Kingdom * Ely, Cambridgeshire, a cathedral city in Cambridgeshire, England ** Ely Cathedral Ely Cathedral, formal ...

* 1619–''unknown'': George Montaigne (or Mountain), Bishop of London (etc.) (died 1628) ;Charles I (1625) * 1626: Francis White,

Bishop of Carlisle The Bishop of Carlisle is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Carlisle in the Province of York. The diocese covers the county of Cumbria except for Alston Moor and the former Sedbergh Rural District. The see is in the city of Car ...

, then Bishop of Norwich and

Bishop of Ely The Bishop of Ely is the ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Ely in the Province of Canterbury. The diocese roughly covers the county of Cambridgeshire (with the exception of the Soke of Peterborough), together with a section of nort ...

(died 1638) * 1632–''unknown'':

Walter Curle Walter Curle (or Curll; 1575 – 1647) was an English bishop, a close supporter of William Laud. Born in Hatfield, Hertfordshire, he was educated at St Albans School and at Christ's College, Cambridge (matriculated c. 1592), transferri ...

, Prelate of the Garter and

Bishop of Winchester The Bishop of Winchester is the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Winchester in the Church of England. The bishop's seat (''cathedra'') is at Winchester Cathedral in Hampshire. The Bishop of Winchester has always held ''ex officio'' (except dur ...

(died 1647) ;''Commonwealth (1649-1660)'' ;Charles II (1660) * 1660–1662: Brian Duppa,

* 1662–1675:

Humphrey Henchman Humphrey Henchman (1592 – 1675) was a Church of England clergyman and bishop of London from 1663 to 1675. Biography He was born in Burton Latimer (or possibly nearby Barton Seagrove), Northamptonshire, the son of Thomas Henchman, a skinner, an ...

, Bishop of Salisbury, then Bishop of London * 1675–1684: John Dolben,

;James II (1685) * 1684–1687: Francis Turner, Bishop of Ely * 1687: John Leyburn, Vicar Apostolic of England * 1687–1689: The Hon Cardinal Philip Howard ;William III (1689); Anne (1702) * 1689–1703: William Lloyd,

Bishop of St Asaph The Bishop of St Asaph heads the Church in Wales diocese of St Asaph. The diocese covers the counties of Conwy and Flintshire, Wrexham county borough, the eastern part of Merioneth in Gwynedd and part of northern Powys. The Episcopal seat is loca ...

, then of Lichfield and Coventry, then of Worcester * 1703–1714: John Sharp, Archbishop of York ;George I (1714); George II (1727) * 1714–1715:

George Smalridge George Smalridge (''alias'' Smallridge; 18 May 1662 – 27 September 1719) was Bishop of Bristol (1714–1719). Life Smalridge was born at Lichfield, son of the Sheriff of Lichfield Thomas Smalridge, George received his early education, this b ...

, Bishop of Bristol * 1715–1716: William Wake, Bishop of Lincoln * 1716–1718: William Nicolson,

* 1718–1723: Richard Willis, Bishop of Gloucester * 1723–1743: Lancelot Blackburne, Archbishop of York * 1743–1748:

Thomas Sherlock Thomas Sherlock (167818 July 1761) was a British divine who served as a Church of England bishop for 33 years. He is also noted in church history as an important contributor to Christian apologetics. Life Born in London, he was the son of the V ...

, Bishop of Salisbury * 1748–1757: Matthew Hutton, Archbishop of York * 1757–1761: John Gilbert, Archbishop of York ;George III (1760); George IV (1820); William IV (1830); Victoria (1837) * 1761–1777: The Hon Robert Hay Drummond, Archbishop of York * 1777–1808: William Markham, Archbishop of York * 1808–1847: The Hon Edward Venables-Vernon-Harcourt, Archbishop of York * 1847–1870: Samuel Wilberforce, Bishop of Oxford, then of Winchester * 1870–1882: The Hon

Gerald Wellesley Gerald Valerian Wellesley (1809 – 17 September 1882) was a Church of England cleric who became the Dean of Windsor. More importantly, he was domestic chaplain to Queen Victoria and played a major advisory role regarding the royal family's ...

, Dean of Windsor * 1882–1906: Lord Alwyne Compton, Bishop of Ely ;Edward VII (1901); George V (1910) * 1906–1933: Joseph Armitage Robinson, Dean of Westminster, then of

Wells Wells most commonly refers to: * Wells, Somerset, a cathedral city in Somerset, England * Well, an excavation or structure created in the ground * Wells (name) Wells may also refer to: Places Canada *Wells, British Columbia England * Wells ...

;Edward VIII (1936); George VI (1936); Elizabeth II (1952); Charles III (2022) * 1933–1945:

Cosmo Gordon Lang William Cosmo Gordon Lang, 1st Baron Lang of Lambeth, (31 October 1864 – 5 December 1945) was a Scottish Anglican prelate who served as Archbishop of York (1908–1928) and Archbishop of Canterbury (1928–1942). His elevation to Archbishop ...

, Archbishop of Canterbury * 1946–1953:

Edward Woods Edward Woods (July 5, 1903 – October 8, 1989) was an American actor. He is probably best known for his extensive role as Matt Doyle in ''The Public Enemy'' opposite James Cagney. Life and career Woods' parents were Mary Clark and Willi ...

, Bishop of Lichfield * 1953–1970:

Michael Gresford Jones Edward Michael Gresford Jones (called Michael; 21 October 19017 March 1982) was a Church of England bishop. He was the son of Herbert Gresford Jones who was also a bishop. He was educated at Rugby School and Trinity College, Cambridge and ...

, Bishop of St Albans * 1970–1988: David Say, Bishop of Rochester * 1988–1997:

John Taylor John Taylor, Johnny Taylor or similar may refer to: Academics *John Taylor (Oxford), Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University, 1486–1487 *John Taylor (classical scholar) (1704–1766), English classical scholar *John Taylor (English publisher) (178 ...

, Bishop of St Albans * 1997–2013:

Nigel McCulloch Nigel Simeon McCulloch, (born 17 January 1942) is an Anglican bishop. He is a retired Bishop of Manchester in the Church of England. He was appointed in August 2002, taking up duties later that year and was installed in February 2003. He reti ...

, Bishop of Manchester * 2013–present:

References

Sources

* * {{British Monarchy Household 1103 establishments in England Anglican ecclesiastical offices Church of England lists Lists of English people Lists of office-holders in the United Kingdom British monarchy Almoners