Archdeacon of Worcester

Last updated January 31, 2024

The Archdeacon of Worcester is a senior clergy position in the Diocese of Worcester in the Church of England. Among the archdeacon's responsibilities is the care of clergy and church buildings within the area of the Archdeaconry of Worcester.

History

The first recorded archdeacons in the Diocese of Worcester occur from c. 1086 around the same time that archdeacons occur across the church in England. Two archdeacons are recorded simultaneously from that time, but no clear territorial title occurs until 1143, when Gervase is called Archdeacon of Gloucester.

The Archdeaconry of Birmingham was created from Worcester and Coventry archdeaconries by Order-in-Council on 12 August 1892^[1] but became part of the new Diocese of Birmingham upon its creation by Order-in-Council on 13 January 1905.^[2]

The archdeaconry is currently subdivided into six deaneries: Evesham, Malvern, Martley and Worcester West, Pershore, Upton, and Worcester East.^[3] The current Archdeacon of Worcester is the Venerable Mark Badger.

Deaneries, area deans and lay chairs as of 2024

Deanery	Rural dean	Lay chair
Pershore & Evesham	The Revd Sarah Dangerfield	Robin Lunn
Malvern & Upton	The Revd Gary Crellin	Maria Toman
Kidderminster & Stourport	The Revd Tim Williams	Clare Stockford
Worcester	The Revd Diane Cooksey	Sue Roulstone

List of archdeacons

High Medieval

Senior archdeacon of the diocese:

bef. 1086–bef. 1114 (d.): Ailric
bef. 1114–21 March 1125 (d.): Hugh (probably previously junior archdeacon)

Archdeacons of Worcester:

1125–1143 (deprived): William Cumin (also Bishop-elect of Durham, 1141; deprived)
1144–bef. 1157 (res.): Godfrey
bef. 1157–bef. 1159 (d.): William Cumin (restored)
bef. 1159–bef. 1168 (d.): Godfrey (restored)
bef. 1168–bef. 1190 (d.): Simon Luvel
bef. 1190–bef. 1198 (d.): Peter de Leche
bef. 1198–aft. 1196: John of Cornwall
bef. 1200–aft. 1217: John Brancastre
December 1218–bef. 1243: William Scot (also Bishop-elect of Durham, 1226–1227)
June 1243–aft. 1256: Vincent of Abergavenny
bef. 1257–aft. 1270: Robert de Esthall
bef. 1275–27 July 1287 (d.): Hugh of Evesham
16 October 1287 – 4 July 1288 (deprived): Ralph de Hingham
4 July 1288–aft. 1311: Francesco Napoleone Cardinal Orsini (also cardinal-deacon of Santa Lucia in Orthea from 1295)

Late Medieval

1312–1317 (d.): Henri de la Tour du Pin (later Bishop of Metz)
aft. 1317–1320 (d.): John de Brucy
15 May 1321–bef. 1329 (d.): Adam le Chaumpeneys de Sandwico
17 October 1329 – 7 April 1337 (exch.): John de Orleton
7 April 1337–bef. 1349: Robert de Worcester
16 May 1349 – 18 February 1353 (exch.): John de Severle
18 February 1353 – 1366 (res.): John Harewell (became Bishop of Bath and Wells)
1366–4 May 1371 (exch.): Simon Clement
4 May 1371–bef. 1383 (d.): John Blanchard
4 December 1383 – 1389 (res.): William Malpas (royal candidate)
2 May 1388–bef. 1412: William Rocombe (papal candidate)
28 October 1412–bef. 1432 (res.): John Ixworth
31 May 1431–bef. 1433 (res.): John Burdett
5 May 1433 – 13 November 1438 (exch.): William Hende
13 November 1438–bef. 1452 (res.): John Verney (probably Dean of Lichfield, 1432–1447)
19 October 1452–bef. 1467 (res.): William Vaunce
12 November 1467–bef. 1472 (res.): Thomas Hawkins (previously Archdeacon of Stafford)
4 May–May 1472 (res.): Robert Inkbarrow

19 May 1472–bef. 1476 (d.): Thomas Hawkins (again)
26 July–bef. November 1479: John Burton
24 November 1479 – 1483 (res.): Richard Burton
4 August 1483–aft. 1518: Thomas Alcock
bef. 1529–1531 (res.): Stephen Gardiner (became Bishop of Winchester)
4 April 1531–bef. 1534 (d.): William Claybrook
12 May 1534 – 1563 (d.): Peter Vannes (also Dean of Salisbury from 1536)

Early modern

1563–bef. 1579 (res.): Thomas Powell
15 July 1579 – 1598 (res.): Godfrey Goldsborough (became Bishop of Gloucester)
1598–bef. 1610 (res.): John Johnson
1610–4 August 1623 (d.): William Swaddon
1623–bef. 1629 (d.): Hugh Lloyd
3 August 1629–bef. 1645 (d.): Edward Thornborough
30 May 1645–bef. 1676 (d.): William Hodges
4 September 1676–bef. 1705 (d.): John Fleetwood
14 December 1705 – 7 August 1742 (d.): William Worth
10 September 1742 – 21 November 1774 (d.): John Tottie
1775–8 March 1787 (d.): John Warren
21 March 1787 – 12 August 1815 (d.): Thomas Evans
29 August 1815 – 18 October 1849 (d.): Richard Onslow
9 November 1849 – 5 May 1881 (d.): Richard Hone

Late modern

May 1881 – 1889 (d.): William Lea, sometime Vicar of St Peter's Droitwich ^[4]^[5]
1889–1911 (ret.): William Walters, Vicar of Pershore until 1894, then Rector of Alvechurch until 1904, then Vicar of Malvern Wells from 1905^[6]
1911–1921 (res.): John Greig, Rector of Hartlebury (became Bishop of Gibraltar)^[7]
1921–1938 (ret.): James Peile, Rector of Alvechurch until 1925, then of Ripple until 1926^[8]
1938 –26 September 1944 (d.): Ridley Duppuy (Canon, Assistant Bishop of Worcester from 1936, and Vice-Dean from 1940; former Bishop of Victoria)^[9]
1944–1961 (ret.): Thomas Wilson, Rector of Hartlebury until 1956^[10]
1961–1975 (ret.): Peter Eliot, Vicar of Cropthorne with Charlton until 1965 (afterwards archdeacon emeritus)^[11]
1975–1980 (ret.): John Williams (afterwards archdeacon emeritus)^[12]
1981–1984 (res.): Peter Coleman (became Bishop suffragan of Crediton)^[13]
1984–1999 (ret.): Frank Bentley (afterwards archdeacon emeritus)^[14]
1999–2008 (res.): Joy Tetley ^[15]
5 October 2008 – 25 July 2014 (res.): Roger Morris (became area Bishop of Colchester)^[16]
16 November 2014 –30 November 2023: Robert Jones ^[17]^[18]
2 December 2023 –present Mark Badger ^[19]

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References

↑ "No. 26316". The London Gazette . 12 August 1892. pp. 4569–4582.
↑ "No. 27754". The London Gazette . 13 January 1905. pp. 311–312.
↑ Deaneries in the Diocese of Worcester Archived 27 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine , Diocese of Worcester, UK.
↑ "Church news" . Church Times . No. 956. 20 May 1881. p. 335. ISSN 0009-658X . Retrieved 2 May 2015– via UK Press Online archives.
↑ Obituary The Times (London, England), Wednesday, 25 September 1889; p. 5; Issue 32813
↑ "Walters, William" . Who's Who & Who Was Who . Vol. 1920–2015 (April 2014 online ed.). A & C Black. Retrieved 2 May 2015.(Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
↑ "Greig, John Harold" . Who's Who & Who Was Who . Vol. 1920–2015 (April 2014 online ed.). A & C Black. Retrieved 2 May 2015.(Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
↑ "Peile, James Hamilton Francis" . Who's Who & Who Was Who . Vol. 1920–2015 (April 2014 online ed.). A & C Black. Retrieved 2 May 2015.(Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
↑ "Duppuy, Charles Ridley" . Who's Who & Who Was Who . Vol. 1920–2015 (April 2014 online ed.). A & C Black. Retrieved 2 May 2015.(Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
↑ "Wilson, Thomas Bowstead" . Who's Who & Who Was Who . Vol. 1920–2015 (April 2014 online ed.). A & C Black. Retrieved 2 May 2015.(Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
↑ "Eliot, Peter Charles" . Who's Who & Who Was Who . Vol. 1920–2015 (April 2014 online ed.). A & C Black. Retrieved 2 May 2015.(Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
↑ "Williams, John Charles" . Who's Who & Who Was Who . Vol. 1920–2015 (April 2014 online ed.). A & C Black. Retrieved 2 May 2015.(Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
↑ "Coleman, Peter Everard" . Who's Who & Who Was Who . Vol. 1920–2015 (April 2014 online ed.). A & C Black. Retrieved 2 May 2015.(Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
↑ "Bentley, Frank William Henry" . Who's Who . Vol. 2014 (November 2014 online ed.). A & C Black. Retrieved 2 May 2015.(Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
↑ "Tetley, Joy Dawn" . Who's Who . Vol. 2014 (November 2014 online ed.). A & C Black. Retrieved 2 May 2015.(Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
↑ "Morris, Roger Anthony Brett" . Who's Who . Vol. 2014 (November 2014 online ed.). A & C Black. Retrieved 2 May 2015.(Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
↑ Diocese of Worcester – Licensing of the new Archdeacon of Worcester (Accessed 16 November 2014)
↑ "Resignations and retirements" . Church Times . No. 8369. 11 August 2023. p. 21. ISSN 0009-658X . Retrieved 2 September 2023.
↑ "Licensing of our new Archdeacon of Worcester". Diocese of Worcester. 6 November 2023. Archived from the original on 31 December 2023. Retrieved 31 December 2023.

Sources

Greenway, Diana E. (1971), Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae 1066–1300, vol. 2, pp. 104–105
Greenway, Diana E. (1971), Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae 1066–1300, vol. 2, pp. 105–107
Jones, B. (1963), Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae 1300–1541, vol. 4, pp. 62–63
Horn, Joyce M. (1992), Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae 1541–1857, vol. 7, pp. 113–114

External links

Worcester Diocesan website
Church of England Statistics 2002 Archived 3 February 2007 at the Wayback Machine

52°30′N2°06′W / 52.5°N 2.1°W / 52.5; -2.1

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[1] "No. 26316". The London Gazette . 12 August 1892. pp. 4569–4582.

[brum-2] "No. 27754". The London Gazette . 13 January 1905. pp. 311–312.

[deaneries-3] Deaneries in the Diocese of Worcester Archived 27 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine , Diocese of Worcester, UK.

[4] "Church news" . Church Times . No. 956. 20 May 1881. p. 335. ISSN 0009-658X . Retrieved 2 May 2015– via UK Press Online archives.

[5] Obituary The Times (London, England), Wednesday, 25 September 1889; p. 5; Issue 32813

[6] "Walters, William" . Who's Who & Who Was Who . Vol. 1920–2015 (April 2014 online ed.). A & C Black. Retrieved 2 May 2015.(Subscription or UK public library membership required.)

[7] "Greig, John Harold" . Who's Who & Who Was Who . Vol. 1920–2015 (April 2014 online ed.). A & C Black. Retrieved 2 May 2015.(Subscription or UK public library membership required.)

[8] "Peile, James Hamilton Francis" . Who's Who & Who Was Who . Vol. 1920–2015 (April 2014 online ed.). A & C Black. Retrieved 2 May 2015.(Subscription or UK public library membership required.)

[9] "Duppuy, Charles Ridley" . Who's Who & Who Was Who . Vol. 1920–2015 (April 2014 online ed.). A & C Black. Retrieved 2 May 2015.(Subscription or UK public library membership required.)

[10] "Wilson, Thomas Bowstead" . Who's Who & Who Was Who . Vol. 1920–2015 (April 2014 online ed.). A & C Black. Retrieved 2 May 2015.(Subscription or UK public library membership required.)

[11] "Eliot, Peter Charles" . Who's Who & Who Was Who . Vol. 1920–2015 (April 2014 online ed.). A & C Black. Retrieved 2 May 2015.(Subscription or UK public library membership required.)

[12] "Williams, John Charles" . Who's Who & Who Was Who . Vol. 1920–2015 (April 2014 online ed.). A & C Black. Retrieved 2 May 2015.(Subscription or UK public library membership required.)

[13] "Coleman, Peter Everard" . Who's Who & Who Was Who . Vol. 1920–2015 (April 2014 online ed.). A & C Black. Retrieved 2 May 2015.(Subscription or UK public library membership required.)

[14] "Bentley, Frank William Henry" . Who's Who . Vol. 2014 (November 2014 online ed.). A & C Black. Retrieved 2 May 2015.(Subscription or UK public library membership required.)

[15] "Tetley, Joy Dawn" . Who's Who . Vol. 2014 (November 2014 online ed.). A & C Black. Retrieved 2 May 2015.(Subscription or UK public library membership required.)

[16] "Morris, Roger Anthony Brett" . Who's Who . Vol. 2014 (November 2014 online ed.). A & C Black. Retrieved 2 May 2015.(Subscription or UK public library membership required.)

[17] Diocese of Worcester – Licensing of the new Archdeacon of Worcester (Accessed 16 November 2014)

[18] "Resignations and retirements" . Church Times . No. 8369. 11 August 2023. p. 21. ISSN 0009-658X . Retrieved 2 September 2023.

[19] "Licensing of our new Archdeacon of Worcester". Diocese of Worcester. 6 November 2023. Archived from the original on 31 December 2023. Retrieved 31 December 2023.

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v t e Archdeacons of Worcester
High Medieval	Senior archdeacon of the diocese: Ailric Hugh Archdeacons of Worcester: William Cumin Godfrey William Cumin (again) Godfrey (again) Simon Luvel Peter de Leche John of Cornwall John Brancastre William Scot Vincent of Abergavenny Robert de Esthall Hugh of Evesham Ralph de Hingham Francesco Napoleone Cardinal Orsini
Late Medieval	Henri de la Tour du Pin John de Brucy Adam le Chaumpeneys de Sandwico John de Orleton Robert de Worcester John de Severle John Harewell Simon Clement John Blanchard William Malpas William Rocombe John Ixworth John Burdett William Hende John Verney William Vaunce Thomas Hawkins Robert Inkbarrow Thomas Hawkins (again) John Burton Richard Burton Thomas Alcock Stephen Gardiner William Claybrook Peter Vannes
Early modern	Thomas Powell Godfrey Goldsborough John Johnson William Swaddon Hugh Lloyd Edward Thornborough William Hodges John Fleetwood William Worth John Tottie John Warren Thomas Evans Richard Onslow Richard Hone
Late modern	William Lea William Walters John Greig James Peile Ridley Duppuy Thomas Wilson Peter Eliot John Williams Peter Coleman Frank Bentley Joy Tetley Roger Morris Robert Jones Mark Badger

v t e Anglican Diocese of Worcester
Worcester Cathedral The Old Palace, Worcester Hartlebury Castle Alvechurch Palace Area scheme (1993–2002)
Office holders	John Inge, Bishop of Worcester Martin Gorick, Bishop suffragan of Dudley AEO: Paul Thomas, Bishop suffragan of Oswestry & Rob Munro, Bishop suffragan of Ebbsfleet Dean of Worcester (vacant) Nikki Groarke, Archdeacon of Dudley Mark Badger, Archdeacon of Worcester
Historic offices	Bishop suffragan of Coventry (1891–1918; Diocese of Coventry erected) Archdeacon of Gloucester (12th century–1541 & 1552–1554; became Diocese of Gloucester) Archdeacon of Coventry (1837–1918) & of Warwick (1910–1918) became Diocese of Coventry) Archdeacon of Birmingham (1892–1905; became Diocese of Birmingham)