The Archdeacon of Taunton has been, since the twelfth century, the senior ecclesiastical officer in charge of the archdeaconry of

Taunton Taunton () is the county town of Somerset, England, with a 2011 population of 69,570. Its thousand-year history includes a 10th-century monastic foundation, Taunton Castle, which later became a priory. The Normans built a castle owned by the ...

in the

Diocese of Bath and Wells The Diocese of Bath and Wells is a diocese in the Church of England Province of Canterbury in England. The diocese covers the county of Somerset and a small area of Dorset. The Episcopal seat of the Bishop of Bath and Wells is located in the ...

(in the

Church of England The Church of England (C of E) is the established Christian church in England and the mother church of the international Anglican Communion. It traces its history to the Christian church recorded as existing in the Roman province of Britai ...

). The archdeaconry includes seven deaneries.

History

Three archdeacons were appointed in what was then the ''Diocese of Wells'' during the time at which archdeacons were first appointed across the Church of England, not long after the

Norman Conquest The Norman Conquest (or the Conquest) was the 11th-century invasion and occupation of England by an army made up of thousands of Norman, Breton, Flemish, and French troops, all led by the Duke of Normandy, later styled William the Con ...

in 1077. The earliest archdeacons of the Taunton area occur with the title "Archdeacon beyond the Parrett", until the title "Archdeacon of Taunton" occurs, around the time the diocese was renamed to ''Bath'' in 1090. That name persisted for around a century until the see was moved again in 1197 and became called the ''Diocese of Bath and Glastonbury''; in 1219 the name was returned to ''Diocese of Bath''. The diocese's name was finally settled at ''Bath and Wells'' and both the diocese's and the archdeaconry's names have remained stable for the 800 years since.

List of archdeacons

:''Some archdeacons without territorial titles are recorded from around 1086; see Archdeacon of Wells.''

High Medieval

:Archdeacons beyond the Parrett: *bef. 1142–aft. 1151: Hugh of Tournai *bef. 1174–aft. 1182:

Richard 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 'stro ...

*bef. 1186–bef. 1188: Ralph of Lechlade *bef. 1189–aft. 1195: Robert de Geldford :Archdeacons of Taunton: *bef. 1204–aft. 1217: William of Wrotham *bef. 1217–aft. 1217: Peter of Chichester *bef. 1221–aft. 1236: Hugh de Wilton *bef. 1241–18 December 1263 (d.): Walter of St Quentin *bef. 1282–aft. 1282: ''unnamed archdeacon'' *bef. 1294–aft. 1294: William Burnell,

Dean of Wells The Dean of Wells is the head of the Chapter of Wells Cathedral in the Mendip district of Somerset, England. The dean's residence is The Dean's Lodging, 25 The Liberty, Wells. List of deans High Medieval *1140–1164: Ivo *1164–1189: Ric ...

*16 December 1298–aft. 1300: William de Molendino

Late Medieval

*bef. 1302–aft. 1302: Peter de Averburi *bef. 1308–bef. 1320 (d.): Henry de Schavington *12 December 1320–bef. 1363 (d.): Robert Hereward *bef. 1364–aft. 1366: William Thingull *16 July 1370 – 1373 (res.):

Thomas Arundel Thomas Arundel (1353 – 19 February 1414) was an English clergyman who served as Lord Chancellor and Archbishop of York during the reign of Richard II, as well as Archbishop of Canterbury in 1397 and from 1399 until his death, an outspoken op ...

(became Bishop of Ely) *bef. 1373–aft. 1373: William Cardinal de Aigrefeuille (cardinal-priest of

Santo Stefano al Monte Celio The Basilica of St. Stephen in the Round on the Celian Hill ( it, Basilica di Santo Stefano al Monte Celio, la, Basilica S. Stephani in Caelio Monte) is an ancient basilica and titular church in Rome, Italy. Commonly named Santo Stefano Rotondo, ...

) *bef. 1383–1389 (res.): Piero Cardinal Tomacelli (cardinal-deacon of

San Giorgio in Velabro San Giorgio in Velabro is a church in Rome, Italy, dedicated to St. George. The church is located next to the Arch of Janus in the rione of Ripa in the ancient Roman Velabrum. According to the founding legend of Rome, the church was built ...

; elected

pope Boniface IX Pope Boniface IX ( la, Bonifatius IX; it, Bonifacio IX; c. 1350 – 1 October 1404, born Pietro Tomacelli) was head of the Catholic Church from 2 November 1389 to his death in October 1404. He was the second Roman pope of the Western Schism.Rich ...

) *12 April 1390–bef. 1391: Thomas Marton *bef. 1391–aft. 1391: Ralph Erghum *bef. 1395–1 September 1416 (exch.): Thomas Polton *7 June 1395 – 1396 (res.): Thomas Sparkeford (''royal grant''; became

Bishop of Waterford and Lismore The Bishop of Waterford and Lismore is an episcopal title which takes its name after the city of Waterford and town of Lismore in Ireland. The title was used by the Church of Ireland until 1838, and is still used by the Roman Catholic Church. Hi ...

) *24 May 1400: '' William Elleford (unsuccessful royal grant)'' *1 September 1416–bef. 1441 (d.): Nicholas Carlton *1 January 1441 – 1445 (res.):

Adam Moleyns Adam Moleyns (died 9 January 1450), Bishop of Chichester, was an English bishop, lawyer, royal administrator and diplomat. During the minority of Henry VI of England, he was clerk of the ruling council of the Regent. Life Moleyns had the livin ...

(became

Bishop of Chichester The Bishop of Chichester is the ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Chichester in the Province of Canterbury. The diocese covers the counties of East and West Sussex. The see is based in the City of Chichester where the bishop's sea ...

) *13 February 1446 – 1450 (res.):

Andrew Holes Andrew is the English form of a given name common in many countries. In the 1990s, it was among the top ten most popular names given to boys in English-speaking countries. "Andrew" is frequently shortened to "Andy" or "Drew". The word is derived ...

(became Archdeacon of Wells) *20 April 1450 – 1465 (res.): Robert Stillington (became

Bishop of Bath and Wells The Bishop of Bath and Wells heads the Church of England Diocese of Bath and Wells in the Province of Canterbury in England. The present diocese covers the overwhelmingly greater part of the (ceremonial) county of Somerset and a small area of D ...

) *bef. 1481–1490 (d.): Richard Langport *12 July 1490 – 1492 (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 Ma ...

(became Bishop of Exeter) *18 February 1493–bef. 1496 (res.): William Worsley (became

Dean of St Paul's The dean of St Paul's is a member of, and chair of the Chapter of St Paul's Cathedral in London in the Church of England. The dean of St Paul's is also ''ex officio'' dean of the Order of the British Empire. The current dean is Andrew Tremlett, ...

) *16 December 1496 – 1505 (res.): Robert Sherborne (became

Bishop of St David's The Bishop of St Davids is the 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 city of St Davids in Pembrokeshire, ...

) *27 May 1505–bef. 1509 (res.): John Ednam *18 August 1509 – 1522/23 (d.): Robert Honiwood *bef. 1524–1525 (d.): John Monyns *bef. 1526–1531 (res.):

Stephen Gardiner Stephen Gardiner (27 July 1483 – 12 November 1555) was an English Catholic bishop and politician during the English Reformation period who served as Lord Chancellor during the reign of Queen Mary I and King Philip. Early life Gardiner was ...

(became Bishop of Winchester) *?–February 1533 (res.):

Thomas Cranmer Thomas Cranmer (2 July 1489 – 21 March 1556) was a leader of the English Reformation and Archbishop of Canterbury during the reigns of Henry VIII, Edward VI and, for a short time, Mary I. He helped build the case for the annulment of Henry ...

(became Archbishop of Canterbury) *bef. 1533–1534 (res.): Rowland Lee (became Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield) *bef. 1535–aft. 1535:

Richard Sampson Richard Sampson (died 25 September 1554) was an English clergyman and composer of sacred music, who was Anglican bishop of Chichester and subsequently of Coventry and Lichfield. Biography He was educated at Trinity Hall, Cambridge, the Paris S ...

*bef. 1540–aft. 1540:

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 ...

*?–24 October 1541 (res.): John Dakyn *24 October 1541–bef. 1558 (d.): John Redman

Early modern

*1551–1554 (res.): John White (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 ...

) *22 May 1554–bef. 1560 (deprived): John FitzJames ''(deprived)'' *1560–May 1584 (exch.): Justinian Lancaster *7 May 1584 – 28 October 1613 (d.): Philip Bisse *30 January 1587–?: '' Matthew Sutcliffe (probably ineffective; later

Dean of Exeter The Dean of Exeter is the head of the Chapter of Cathedral Church of Saint Peter in Exeter, England. The chapter was established by William Briwere, Bishop of Exeter (1224–44) who set up the offices of dean and chancellor of Exeter Cathedr ...

)'' *15 November 1613 – 1615 (d.): Peter Lilly *1615–7 September 1643 (d.): Samuel Ward *19 December 1643 – 4 April 1682 (d.): William Piers *22 April 1682 – 8 June 1712 (d.): Edward Waple *25 July 1712 – 1726 (res.): Edmund Archer (became Archdeacon of Wells) *8 December 1726 – 15 December 1752 (d.):

George Atwood George Atwood ( – 11 July 1807) was an English mathematician who invented the Atwood machine for illustrating the effects of Newton's laws of motion. He was also a renowned chess player whose skill for recording many games of his own and ...

*24 September 1753 – 1758 (res.): Lionel Seaman (became Archdeacon of Wells) *11 October 1758 – 1760 (res.): Francis Potter (became Archdeacon of Wells) *31 December 1760 – 1767 (res.): William Willes (became Archdeacon of Wells) *27 October 1767 – 17 August 1780 (d.): Thomas Camplin *19 September 1780 – 28 March 1817 (d.):

John Turner John Napier Wyndham Turner (June 7, 1929September 19, 2020) was a Canadian lawyer and politician who served as the 17th prime minister of Canada from June to September 1984. He served as leader of the Liberal Party of Canada and leader of t ...

*19 April 1817 – 13 October 1827 (d.): George Trevelyan *5 December 1827 – 10 September 1851 (d.): Anthony Hamilton *30 September 1851 – 21 March 1896 (d.): George Denison

Late modern

*1896–5 June 1903 (d.): Alexander Ainslie *1903–9 April 1911 (d.): William Askwith, Vicar of St Mary Magdalene, Taunton *1911–1938 (ret.): Charles de Salis, Bishop suffragan of Taunton (until 1930) then assistant bishop *1938–1950 (ret.): Arnold Fitch, Rector of Angersleigh from 1946 *1951–1971 (ret.): Geoffrey Hilder, Vicar of Hambridge until 1959 *1971–1977 (ret.): Arthur Hopley (afterwards archdeacon emeritus) *1977–1992 (ret.): Leonard Olyott (afterwards archdeacon emeritus) *1992–1998 (res.):

Richard Frith Richard Michael Cockayne Frith (born 8 April 1949) is a British retired Anglican bishop who served as Bishop of Hull and Bishop of Hereford. Early life Frith was born into a clerical family on 8 April 1949; his father was Roger Cokayne Frith, ...

*1999–30 June 2016 (ret.): John Reed *23 June–1 October 2016 (acting): Andrew Tatham *1 October 2016–present: Simon HillDiocese of Bath and Wells — New Archdeacon of Taunton Appointed
(Accessed 17 June 2016)

References

Sources

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Taunton, Archdeacon of Lists of Anglicans Lists of English people