List of the Bishops of Lichfield

The Diocese of Mercia was founded in 656 by Diuma. Bishop Chad moved the bishopric to Lichfield in 669, and the diocese was named after the city.

Lichfield was the seat of Archbishop Higbert from 787 to 799 . The archbishop's seat was officially dissolved in 803.

The bishopric was briefly moved to Chester in 1075 and to Coventry in 1102. From 1228 the official title became Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield . The bishopric was in both cathedrals. The older names of the dioceses remained in common parlance.

In the 1530s, during the Reformation under Henry VIII , the diocese became Anglican . In the process, Coventry Cathedral lost its status as a cathedral. After the Restoration under Charles II in 1660, the official title became Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry . In 1837 the old diocese was divided. Coventry was assigned to the Diocese of Worcester and from 1918 an independent diocese .

The following people were Bishops of Lichfield :

Bishops Mercia
Name (life data)	Term of office	annotation	image
Diuma (Dwyna; Duma) † around 658	(um) 656 to (um) 658
Ceollach (Cellach)	658 to 659
Trumhere (Thumhere) † about 662	(µm) 659 to (µm) 662	previously abbot of Gilling Abbey
Jaruman † around 667	662 to 667
Bishops of Lichfield
Name (life data)	Term of office	annotation	image
Ceadda † March 2, 672	669 to 672	he was ordained bishop in 664, but he did not begin this until 669; previously Archbishop of York
Wynfrith (Winfred; Winfride)	673 to (?) 675	discontinued
Seaxwulf (Saxulf; Sexulf) † around 691	675 to 691
Headda (Eadda; Cedda)	691 to 716/727	thereafter or simultaneously Bishop of Leicester
Ealdwine (Aldwini; Aldwyn) † 737	716/727 to 737
Witta (Hwita; Huitta)	737 to 749/752
Hemele † 765	752 to 765
Cuthfrith (Cuthred; Cuthfrid) † around 769	765 to 768/769
Beorhthun (Berhthum) † between 777 and 779	768/769 to 777/779
Higbert (Hygebeorth) † 803	779 to 799	from 787 as the only Archbishop of Lichfield. He resigned from office in 799. His successor was then only a bishop. The office of archbishop then fell back to Canterbury
Ealdwulf (Aldwulf) † between 814 and 816	799/803 to 814/816
Herewine (Herewin) † between 817 and 818	814/816 to 817/818
Æthelweald (Ethelwold) † 830	818 to 830
Hunberght (Hunbeorht) † between 830 and 836	830 to 830/836
Cyneferth (Cynefrith) † between 841 and 845	830/836 to 841/845
Tunberth (Tunbeorht) † between 857 and 862	841/845 to 857/862
Eadbeorth (Eadberth) † around 875	862/869 to 875 /?
Wulfred † around 889	? / 880 to 889 /?
Wigmund † around 909	? / 901 to 909 /?
Ælfwine † between 935 and 941	? / 925 to 935/941
Wulfgar † between 948 and 949	935/941 to 948/949	occasionally one finds him under the name Ælfgar in the bishops' lists
Cynesige † between 963 and 964	931/949 to 963/964
Wynsige † between 973 and 975	963/964 to 973/975
Ælfheah † between 1002 and 1004	973/975 to 1002/1004
Godwine † 1020	1002/1004 to 1020
Leofgar † between 1020 and 1026	1020 to 1020/1026
Brihtmaer (Beorhtmaer) † 1039	1020/1026 to 1039
Wulfsige † October 1053	1039 to 1053
Leofwine † 1067 or before 1095	1053 to 1067 (?)
Peter † 1085	1072 to 1085	he moved the bishopric in 1075 to Chester
Robert de Limesey † September 1, 1117	1086 to 1117	he moved the bishopric in 1102 to Coventry
vacant	1117 to 1121
Bishops of Coventry
Name (life data)	Term of office	annotation	image
Robert Peche † August 22, 1126	1117 to 1126
vacant	1126 to 1129
Roger de Clinton † April 16, 1148	1129 to 1148
Walter Durdent † December 7, 1159	1149 to 1159
Richard Peche † October 6, 1182	1161 to 1182
Gerard Pucelle † January 13, 1184	1183 to 1184
Hugh de Nonant † March 27, 1198	1188 to 1198	it was elected in January 1185, but was not consecrated until 1188
Geoffrey de Muschamp † October 6, 1208	1198 to 1208
vacant	1208 to 1214
William of Cornhill † August 19, 1223	1214 to 1223
Alexander Stavensby † December 6, 1238	1224 to 1238	since 1228 Coventry and Lichfield have been regarded as equivalent episcopal seats
Bishops of Coventry and Lichfield
Name (life data)	Term of office	annotation	image
Hugh of Pattishall † 7./8. December 1241	1239 to 1241	he was not the first choice before he were William Raleigh (he did not accept the election but became Bishop of Norwich instead ), William de Manchestre (he did not accept the election) and Nicholas Farnham (he did not accept the election and became 1241 Prince-Bishop of Durham )
vacant	1241 to 1245
Roger of Wesham † May 21, 1257	1245 to 1256
Roger de Meuland † December 16, 1295	1257 to 1295
Walter Langton † November 9, 1321	1296 to 1321	was also treasurer
Roger Northburgh † November 22, 1358	1321 to 1358
Robert Stratton † March 28, 1385	1358 to 1385
Walter Skirlaw † March 24, 1406	1385 to 1386	then Bishop of Bath and Prince-Bishop of Durham
Richard le Scrope † June 8, 1405	1386 to 1398	then Archbishop of York
John Burghill † before May 20, 1414	1398 to 1414	before that Bishop of Llandaff
John Catterick † December 28, 1419	1415 to 1419	before that Bishop of St. Davids and then Bishop of Exeter
William Heyworth † March 15-24, 1447	1419 to 1447
William Booth † September 12, 1464	1447 to 1452	then Archbishop of York
Nicholas Close † between October 15 and 31, 1452	1452	before that Bishop of Carlisle
Reginal Boulers † between March 24 and April 10, 1459	1453 to 1459	before that Bishop of Hereford
John Hales † September 15-30, 1490	1459 to 1490
vacant	1490-1492
William Smith † January 2, 1514	1492 to 1496	then Bishop of Lincoln
John Arundel † March 15, 1504	1496 to 1502	then Bishop of Exeter
Geoffrey Blyth † after December 23, 1531	1503 to 1531
vacant	1531-1534
Rowland Lee † January 24, 1543	1531 to 1543	In the 1530s, Coventry Cathedral lost its status, so the name of the diocese changed to Lichfield and Coventry
Bishops of Lichfield and Coventry
Name (life data)	Term of office	annotation	image
Richard Sampson † September 25, 1554	1543 to 1554	before that Bishop of Chichester
Ralph Baynes † November 18, 1559	1554 to 1559	last Roman Catholic bishop; he was deposed in June 1559
Thomas Bentham † February 21, 1579	1559 to 1579
William Overton † April 9, 1609	1580 to 1609
George Abbot † August 4, 1633	1609 to 1610	then Bishop of London and Bishop of Canterbury
Richard Neile † October 31, 1640	1610 to 1614	before that Bishop of Rochester ; then Bishop of Lincoln, Prince-Bishop of Durham, Bishop of Winchester and Archbishop of York
John Overall † May 12, 1619	1614 to 1618	then Bishop of Norwich
Thomas Moreton † September 22, 1659	1619 to 1632	before that Bishop of Chester and then Prince-Bishop of Durham
Robert Wright † August 1643	1632 to 1643	before that Bishop of Bristol
Accepted Frewen † March 28, 1664	1643 to 1660	then Archbishop of York
John Hacket † October 8, 1670	1661 to 1670
Thomas Wood † April 18, 1692	1671 to 1692
William Lloyd † August 30, 1717	1692 to 1699	before that Bishop of St. Asaph and then Bishop of Worcester
John Hough † May 8, 1743	1699 to 1717	before that Bishop of Oxford and then Bishop of Worcester
Edward Chandler † July 20, 1750	1717 to 1730	then Prince-Bishop of Durham
Richard Smalbroke † December 22, 1749	1730 to 1749	before that Bishop of St. Davids
Frederick Cornwallis † March 19, 1783	1750 to 1768	then Archbishop of Canterbury
John Egerton † January 18, 1787	1768 to 1771	before that Bishop of Bangor and then Prince-Bishop of Durham
Brownlow North † July 12, 1820	1771 to 1774	then Bishop of Worcester and Winchester
Richard Hurd † May 28, 1808	1775 to 1781	then Bishop of Worcester
James Cornwallis † January 20, 1824	1781 to 1824	since 1823 the 4th Earl of Cornwallis
Henry Ryder † March 31, 1836	1824 to 1836	before that Bishop of Gloucester
Samuel Butler † December 4, 1839	1836 to 1839	The diocese is divided in 1837. Converty becomes archdiocese. Lichfield sole bishopric.
Bishops of Lichfield
Name (life data)	Term of office	annotation	image
James Bowstead † October 11, 1843	1839 to 1843	before that, Bishop of Sodor and Man
John Lonsdale † October 19, 1867	1843 to 1867
George Augustus Selwyn † April 11, 1878	1867 to 1878	before that primate of New Zealand
William Dalrymple Maclagan , DD † September 19, 1910	1878 to 1891	then Archbishop of York
Augustus Legge † March 15, 1913	1891 to 1913
John Augustine Kempthorne, DD † February 24, 1946	1913 to 1937	before that Auxiliary Bishop of Hull
Edward Sydney Woods † January 11, 1953	1937 to 1953	before that auxiliary bishop in Croydon
Arthur Stretton Reeve, DD † January 27, 1981	1953 to 1975
Kenneth John Fraser Skelton , CBE, MA	1975 to 1984	before that Bishop of Matabeleland
Keith Norman Sutton	1984 to 2003
Jonathan Gledhill	2003 to 2015
Michael Ipgrave	2016 to

Individual evidence

↑ ^a ^b The dates given here are the probable dates of death. The sources at this early stage are very thin.
↑ ^a ^b ^c Powicke & Fryde: Handbook of British Chronology. Second Edition, London, 1961, p. 242.
^ ^A ^b Powicke & Fryde: Handbook of British Chronology. Second Edition, London, 1961, p. 232.
↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r ^s ^t ^u ^v ^w ^x ^y ^z ^aa Powicke & Fryde: Handbook of British Chronology. Second Edition, London, 1961, p. 233.
↑ Ann Williams, Hygeberht (d. In or after 803). Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004. Viewed 19 November 2011
↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d Powicke & Fryde: Handbook of British Chronology. Second Edition, London, 1961, p. 233; The data here is very imprecise
^ MJ Franklin, Leofwine (d. In or before 1095). Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, May 2009. Viewed on November 19, 2011
↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o Powicke & Fryde: Handbook of British Chronology. Second Edition, London, 1961, p. 234.
^ MJ Franklin, Wesham, Roger of (d.1257). Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, Sept 2010 viewed 20 November 2011
^ DA Carpenter, Meuland, Roger de (c.1215-1295). rev. Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, May 2008 viewed 20 November 2011
↑ ^a ^b ^c Powicke & Fryde: Handbook of British Chronology. Second Edition, London, 1961, p. 221.
↑ ^a ^b ^c Powicke & Fryde: Handbook of British Chronology. Second Edition, London, 1961, p. 265.
^ ^A ^b Powicke & Fryde: Handbook of British Chronology. Second Edition, London, 1961, p. 226.
^ Powicke & Fryde: Handbook of British Chronology. Second Edition, London, 1961, p. 236.
↑ Jonathan Wright, Baynes, Ralph (d.1559). Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, Oct 2008 viewed on November 20, 2011
^ Powicke & Fryde: Handbook of British Chronology. Second Edition, London, 1961, p. 243.
^ ^A ^b Powicke & Fryde: Handbook of British Chronology. Second Edition, London, 1961, p. 262.
↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ Powicke & Fryde: Handbook of British Chronology. Second Edition, London, 1961, p. 235.
^ Powicke & Fryde: Handbook of British Chronology. Second Edition, London, 1961, p. 212.
^ Powicke & Fryde: Handbook of British Chronology. Second Edition, London, 1961, p. 259.
^ Powicke & Fryde: Handbook of British Chronology. Second Edition, London, 1961, p. 263.
↑ James Cornwallis, 4th Earl Cornwallis on thepeerage.com , accessed August 19, 2015.
↑ Obituary- The Right Rev AS Reeve Former Bishop of Lichfield The Times Thursday Jan 29, 1981; pg. 17; Issue 60838; col G

Web links

[Leben-1] The dates given here are the probable dates of death. The sources at this early stage are very thin.

[Handbook242-2] Powicke & Fryde: Handbook of British Chronology. Second Edition, London, 1961, p. 242.

[Handbook232-3] A ^b Powicke & Fryde: Handbook of British Chronology. Second Edition, London, 1961, p. 232.

[Handbook233-4] ↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r ^s ^t ^u ^v ^w ^x ^y ^z ^aa Powicke & Fryde: Handbook of British Chronology. Second Edition, London, 1961, p. 233.

[5] Ann Williams, Hygeberht (d. In or after 803). Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004. Viewed 19 November 2011

[Handbook233a-6] Powicke & Fryde: Handbook of British Chronology. Second Edition, London, 1961, p. 233; The data here is very imprecise

[7] MJ Franklin, Leofwine (d. In or before 1095). Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, May 2009. Viewed on November 19, 2011

[Handbook234-8] ↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o Powicke & Fryde: Handbook of British Chronology. Second Edition, London, 1961, p. 234.

[9] MJ Franklin, Wesham, Roger of (d.1257). Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, Sept 2010 viewed 20 November 2011

[10] DA Carpenter, Meuland, Roger de (c.1215-1295). rev. Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, May 2008 viewed 20 November 2011

[Handbook221-11] Powicke & Fryde: Handbook of British Chronology. Second Edition, London, 1961, p. 221.

[Handbook265-12] Powicke & Fryde: Handbook of British Chronology. Second Edition, London, 1961, p. 265.

[Handbook226-13] A ^b Powicke & Fryde: Handbook of British Chronology. Second Edition, London, 1961, p. 226.

[Handbook236-14] Powicke & Fryde: Handbook of British Chronology. Second Edition, London, 1961, p. 236.

[15] Jonathan Wright, Baynes, Ralph (d.1559). Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, Oct 2008 viewed on November 20, 2011

[Handbook243-16] Powicke & Fryde: Handbook of British Chronology. Second Edition, London, 1961, p. 243.

[Handbook262-17] A ^b Powicke & Fryde: Handbook of British Chronology. Second Edition, London, 1961, p. 262.

[Handbook235-18] ↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ Powicke & Fryde: Handbook of British Chronology. Second Edition, London, 1961, p. 235.

[Handbook212-19] Powicke & Fryde: Handbook of British Chronology. Second Edition, London, 1961, p. 212.

[Handbook259-20] Powicke & Fryde: Handbook of British Chronology. Second Edition, London, 1961, p. 259.

[Handbook263-21] Powicke & Fryde: Handbook of British Chronology. Second Edition, London, 1961, p. 263.

[22] James Cornwallis, 4th Earl Cornwallis on thepeerage.com , accessed August 19, 2015.

[23] Obituary- The Right Rev AS Reeve Former Bishop of Lichfield The Times Thursday Jan 29, 1981; pg. 17; Issue 60838; col G