List of the Bishops of Ely

The origins of the Diocese of Ely are very ancient. It was brought into being by Saint Æthelthryth by founding a double monastery . The monastery was headed first by an abbess and later by an abbot.

The monastery and large parts of the city of Ely were destroyed during the Danish invasions around 870. A new Benedictine monastery was built and equipped by the Bishop of Winchester, Æthelwald . This became a cathedral in 1109 and became the seat of the Bishop of Ely. From this point the line of bishops begins.

Bishops of Ely
Name (life data)	Term of office	annotation	image
Hervey † August 30, 1131	1109 to 1131	before that Bishop of Bangor
Nigel † May 30, 1169	1133 to 1169
Geoffrey Ridel † August 21, 1189	1174 to 1189	before that Lord Chancellor
William de Longchamp † January 31, 1197	1189 to 1197	at the same time Lord Chancellor
Eustace † February 3, 1215	1197 to 1215
Robert of York	1215 to 1219	He was elected in 1215, but in 1219 by Pope Honorius III. not acknowledged. Not accepting the Pope's judgment, he fled to France.
John of Fountains † May 6, 1225	1220 to 1225
Geoffrey de Burgh † December 17, 1228	1225 to 1228
Hugh of Northwold † August 6, 1254	1229 to 1254	He was part of Eleonore's escort , who accompanied her from France to the wedding with Henry III.
William of Kilkenny † September 21, 1256	1255 to 1256	was previously Keeper of the Great Seal
Hugh of Balsham † June 16, 1286	1256 to 1286	He was the founder of Peterhouse , the University of Cambridge's first college
John Kirkby † March 26, 1290	1286 to 1290	During his tenure, he also had the office of Lord High Treasurer held
William of Louth † March 25 or 27, 1298	1290 to 1298
Ralph Walpole † March 20, 1302	1298 to 1302	before that Bishop of Norwich ; John Salomon and John Langton , elected after the death of William of Louth, were not recognized by Pope Boniface VIII .
Robert Orford † January 21, 1310	1302 to 1310	His election was not recognized by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Robert Winchelsey. He had to speak to Pope Boniface VIII personally and was only then confirmed in his office.
John Ketton † May 14, 1316	1310 to 1316
John Hotham † January 14, 1337	1316 to 1337	He was Lord High Treasurer and Lord Chancellor during his tenure
Simon Montagu † June 20, 1345	1337 to 1345	He was previously Bishop of Worcester
Thomas Lisle † June 23, 1361	1345 to 1361	After burning down some of the houses of Blanche of Lancaster , he was taken over by Edward III. obliged to pay damages
Simon Langham † July 22, 1376	1362 to 1367	He was Lord High Treasurer and Lord Chancellor during his tenure in Ely. He then became Archbishop of Canterbury . Around 1366 he was appointed cardinal .
John Barnet † June 8, 1373	1367 to 1373	He was previously Bishop of Worcester and Bishop of Bath , and was also Lord High Treasurer
Thomas Arundel † February 19, 1414	1373 to 1388	He was three times Lord Chancellor and became Archbishop of York and Canterbury
John Fordham † November 19, 1425	1388 to 1425	Previously he was Bishop of Durham and Lord High Treasurer
Philip Morgan † October 25, 1435	1426-1435	Previously he was Bishop of Worcester. His election as Archbishop of York in November / December 1423 was repealed in February 1424.
Louis of Luxembourg † September 18, 1443	1437 to 1443	He was also Archbishop of Rouen
Thomas Bourchier † March 30, 1486	1444 to 1454	He was previously Bishop of Worcester. In 1436 he was elected to the office of Bishop of Ely; this choice was then declared null and void in 1437. He was reinstated in office only after the death of Ludwig von Luxemburg. After serving in Ely, he became Archbishop of Canterbury. During the time he was also Lord Chancellor
William Gray † August 4, 1478	1454 to 1478	He was the son of Sir Thomas Gray of Heaton, who was executed for his involvement in the Southampton Plot . He was assigned to the House of York .
John Morton † September 15, 1500	1478 to 1486	He was previously Bishop of Worcester and then Archbishop of Canterbury. During this time he was also Lord Chancellor. He was assigned to the House of Lancaster .
John Alcock † October 1, 1500	1486-1500	Previously he was Bishop of Rochester and Bishop of Worcester, and Lord Chancellor
Richard Redman † August 24, 1505	1501 to 1505	before that he was Bishop of Exeter
James Stanley † March 22, 1515	1506 to 1515	He was the son of Thomas Stanley, 1st Earl of Derby . His appointment as bishop was made by a bull from Pope Julius II.
Nicholas West † April 28, 1533	1515 to 1533	He made several diplomatic trips for Henry VII and Henry VIII, among others to Germany, Scotland and France.
Thomas Goodrich † May 10, 1554	1534 to 1554	He helped with the completion of the First Prayer Book od Edward VI. and was one of the prosecutors in the trial of Stephan Gardiner
Thomas Thirlby † August 26, 1570	1554 to 1559	Before that he was the Bishop of Westminster and Bishop of Norwich . He was the last Roman Catholic bishop and was deposed by Elizabeth I.
Richard Cox † July 22, 1581	1559 to 1581	Because of his involvement in the accession of Jane Gray to the throne , he was briefly arrested and then went into exile in Germany.
vacant
Martin Heton † July 14, 1609	1599 to 1609	He was Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University in 1588
Lancelot Andrewes † September 25, 1626	1609 to 1619	Before that he was Bishop of Chichester and then Bishop of Winchester
Nicolas Felton † October 5, 1626	1619-1626	Before that he was Bishop of Bristol
John Buckeridge † May 23, 1638	1628-1631	Previously he was Bishop of Rochester
Francis White † February 1638	1631-1638	Before that he was Bishop of Norwich
Matthew Wren † April 24, 1667	1638 to 1667	Previously he was Bishop of Hereford and Norwich
Benjamin Laney † January 24, 1675	1667 to 1675	Previously he was Bishop of Peterbourgh and Lincoln
Peter Gunning † July 6, 1684	1675 to 1684	Previously he was Bishop of Chichester. He took part in the Savoy Conference, which was supposed to bring the different currents in the Church of England closer together
Francis Turner † November 2, 1700	1684 to 1690	Previously he was Bishop of Rochester. He was one of the nine bishops who took the oath on William III. refused.
Simon Patrick † May 31, 1707	1691 to 1707	Previously he was Bishop of Chichester
John Moore † July 31, 1714	1707 to 1714	Before that he was Bishop of Norwich
William Fleetwood † August 4, 1723	1714 to 1723	Before that he was Bishop of St. Asaph
Thomas Greene † May 18, 1738	1723 to 1738	Before that he was Bishop of Norwich
Robert Butts † January 26, 1748	1738 to 1748	Before that he was Bishop of Norwich
Sir Thomas Gooch † February 14, 1754	1748 to 1754	Before that he was Bishop of Bristol and Norwich
Matthias Mawson † November 23, 1770	1754 to 1770	Previously he was Bishop of Llandaff and Chichester
Edmund Keene † July 6, 1781	1771 to 1781	Previously he was Bishop of Chester
James Yorke † August 26, 1808	1781 to 1808	Previously he was Bishop of Gloucester
Thomas Dampier † May 13, 1812	1808 to 1812	Previously he was Bishop of Rochester
Bowyer Edward Sparke † April 4, 1836	1812 to 1836	Previously he was Bishop of Chester
Joseph Allen † March 20, 1845	1836 to 1845	Before that he was Bishop of Bristol
Thomas Turton † January 7, 1864	1845 to 1864	He was a professor of mathematicians at Cambridge
Edward Harold Browne † December 18, 1891	1864 to 1873	He was then Bishop of Winchester
James Russell Woodford † October 24, 1885	1873 to 1885
Alwyne Frederick Compton † April 4, 1906	1885 to 1905	He resigned from his position
Frederick Henry Chase † September 23, 1925	1905 to 1924	He resigned from his position
Leonard Jauncey White-Thomson † December 31, 1933	1924 to 1933
Bernard Oliver Francis Heywood † May 13, 1960	1934 to 1940	He was previously auxiliary bishop in Hull and resigned from his office.
Harold Edward Wynn † August 12, 1956	1941 to 1956
Noel Baring Hudson † October 5, 1970	1957 to 1963	Before that he was Bishop of Newcastle. He resigned from his position
Edward James Keymer Roberts † July 29, 2001	1964 to 1977	He was previously Auxiliary Bishop of Kensington
Peter Knight Walker † December 28, 2010	1977 to 1989	He was previously Auxiliary Bishop of Dorchester
Stephen Whitefield Sykes † September 24, 2014	1990 to 2000
Anthony John Russell	2000 to 2010
Stephen Conway	2010 to

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ^{a b c} Unless otherwise noted, all data are from Powicke & Fryde: Handbook of British Chronology. Second Edition, London, 1961, pp. 223 to 225.
2. ↑ british-history.ac.uk ( Memento of the original from February 14, 2012 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Data on www.british-history.ac.uk 
3. ↑ Dorothy M. Owen, Northwold, Hugh of (d. 1254) , Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 , viewed February 26, 2012
4. ↑ Michael Prestwich, Kirkby, John (d. 1290) , Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, Jan 2008 seen on February 26, 2012
5. ↑ Dorothy M. Owen, Walpole, Ralph of (d. 1302) , Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 , viewed February 26, 2012
6. ↑ Dorothy M. Owen, Orford, Robert (d. 1310) , Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, Sept 2010 viewed 26 February 2012
7. ^ MC Buck, Hotham, John (d. 1337) , Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, Jan 2008 seen on February 26, 2012
8. ^ Roy Martin Haines, Lisle, Thomas (c.1298-1361) , Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, Sept 2010 viewed 26 February 2012
9. ↑ WJ Dohar, Langham, Simon (d. 1376) , Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 , viewed February 26, 2012
10. ↑ WM Ormrod, Barnet, John (d. 1373) , Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 as viewed on February 26, 2012
11. ^ RG Davies, Morgan, Philip (d. 1435) , Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 , as viewed on February 26, 2012
12. ^ Roy Martin Haines, Gray, William (c. 1414–1478) , Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, Oct 2009 viewed on February 26, 2012
13. ^ DG Newcombe, Stanley, James (c.1465–1515) , Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, 2004 seen on February 26, 2012
14. ^ Felicity Heal, West, Nicholas (d. 1533) , Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, Jan 2008 seen on February 26, 2012
15. ↑ Felicity Heal, Goodrich, Thomas (1494–1554) , Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, Oct 2005 viewed on February 26, 2012
16. ↑ Felicity Heal, Cox, Richard (c.1500–1581) , Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, Jan 2008 seen on February 27, 2012
17. ↑ Brett Usher, Heton, Martin (1554-1609) , Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, Jan 2008 seen on February 27, 2012
18. ↑ Kenneth W. Stevenson, Gunning, Peter (1614–1684) , Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, Jan 2008 seen on February 27, 2012
19. ^ Paul Hopkins, Turner, Francis (1637–1700) , Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, May 2006 seen on February 27, 2012
20. ↑ Browne, Edward Harold . In: John Archibald Venn (Ed.): Alumni Cantabrigienses . A Biographical List of All Known Students, Graduates and Holders of Office at the University of Cambridge, from the Earliest Times to 1900. Part 2: From 1752 to 1900 , Volume 1 : Abbey – Challis . Cambridge University Press, Cambridge 1940, pp. 413 ( venn.lib.cam.ac.uk Textarchiv - Internet Archive ).
21. ^ VH Stanton, Compton, Lord Alwyne (1825-1906) , rev. HCG Matthew, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 , seen on February 27, 2012
22. ^ WE Barnes, Chase, Frederic Henry (1853-1925) , rev. HCG Matthew, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 , seen on February 27, 2012
23. ↑ Heywood, Bernard Oliver Francis . In: John Archibald Venn (Ed.): Alumni Cantabrigienses . A Biographical List of All Known Students, Graduates and Holders of Office at the University of Cambridge, from the Earliest Times to 1900. Part 2: From 1752 to 1900 , Volume 3 : Gabb – Justamond . Cambridge University Press, Cambridge 1947, pp. 353 ( venn.lib.cam.ac.uk Textarchiv - Internet Archive ).
24. ↑ ^{a b c} Powicke & Fryde: Handbook of British Chronology. Thired Edition, London, 1996, p. 246.
25. ↑ joh.cam.ac.uk Report on death
26. ↑ thegazette.co.uk report in the London Gazette for office
27. ↑ ely.anglican.org ( Memento of the original from July 16, 2011 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Report on the side of the diocese on the resignation 
28. ↑ number10.gov.uk Report on taking office

Web links

• ely.anglican.org Website of the Diocese of Ely
• peterowen.org.uk List of the Bishops of Ely