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List of archbishops of Canterbury facts for kids

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Liste archevêques Canterbury
List of the archbishops of Canterbury up to Rowan Williams (2002–2012), in Canterbury Cathedral

The archbishop of Canterbury is the "Primate of All England" (the "first bishop" of England), effectively serving as the head of the established Church of England and, symbolically, of the worldwide Anglican Communion. From the 6th century to the 16th century, the archbishops of Canterbury were in full communion with the Bishops of Rome, the Popes. Eighteen archbishops have been canonised by the Roman Catholic Church. During the English Reformation the English church broke away from the authority of the Pope, at first temporarily, later permanently, recognising only the English monarch as a source of superior temporal authority.

In the Middle Ages there was considerable variation in the nomination procedure of the archbishop and other bishops. At various times the nomination was made by the Canons of Canterbury Cathedral, the English monarch, or the Pope. Since the Reformation, the church is explicitly a state church and nomination is legally that of the British crown; today it is made in the name of the monarch by the prime minister of the United Kingdom, from a shortlist of two selected by the Crown Nominations Commission, an ad hoc committee.

Today the archbishop has four main roles:

  • He is the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury, which covers the east of the County of Kent and the extreme north-east of Surrey. Founded by Augustine of Canterbury in 597, it is the oldest bishopric in the English church. The main duties of this role are delegated to the suffragan Bishop of Dover (who in this capacity is called the "Bishop in Canterbury").
  • He is the metropolitan bishop of the Province of Canterbury, encompassing 30 dioceses in the southern two-thirds of England. The remaining 14 dioceses in the north of England fall within the Province of York, under the authority of the archbishop of York. Four dioceses in Wales were under the Province of Canterbury until they were transferred to the dis-established Church in Wales in 1920.
  • As "Primate of All England", he is the chief "religious" figure in the Church of England (senior to the archbishop of York, who is styled the "Primate of England"). The British sovereign is the supreme governor of the Church of England.
  • As symbolic head of the Anglican Communion, the archbishop is recognised as primus inter pares ("first among equals") of all Anglican primates.

Heraldry

Much heraldry relating to archbishops of Canterbury is displayed in the church of St Mary-at-Lambeth in London, near to Lambeth Palace the London seat of the archbishops.

List of archbishops

Key to abbreviations in tables below
bet. between
c. circa
dep. deposed
deprived deprived
el. elected
enth. enthroned
nom. nominated
pos. postulated
tr. translated
res. resigned

Old English period

From Until Incumbent Notes
597 26 May 604 or 605 Augustine Canonised: St Augustine of Canterbury.
c. 604 2 Feb 619 Laurence (Laurentius, Lawrence) Canonised: St Laurence of Canterbury.
619 24 Apr 624 Mellitus Translated from London; canonised: St Mellitus.
624 10 Nov
bet. 627 and 631
Justus Translated from Rochester; canonised: St Justus.
627 30 Sep 653 Honorius Canonised: St Honorius.
Mar 655 14 Jul 664 Deusdedit Canonised: St Deusdedit.
14 Jul 664 c. 666 See vacant
c. 666 668 (Wighard) (Wigheard) Died of plague before consecration.
26 Mar 668 19 Sep 690 Theodore Canonised: St Theodore of Tarsus.
29 Jun 693 13 Jan 731 Berhtwald (Brihtwald, Beorhtweald, Bertwald, Berthwald, Beorhtwald, or Beretuald) Abbot of Reculver; canonised: St Berhtwald.
10 Jun 731 30 Jul 734 Tatwine (Tatwin, Tatuini, or Tadwinus) Canonised: St Tatwine.
735 17 Oct 739 Nothhelm (Nothelm) Canonised: St Nothelm.
c. 740 26 Oct 760 Cuthbert Canonised: Possibly translated from Hereford.
27 Sep 761 764 Bregowine (Bregwine or Bregwin) Canonised: St Bregwin.
2 Feb 765 11/12 Aug 792 Jænberht (Jambert, Jaenbeorht, Jænbert, Jaenberht, Jaenbert, or Jaenberht) Abbot of St Augustine's, Canterbury.
21 Jul 793 12 May 805 Æthelhard (Ethelhard, Æthilheard, or Aethelheard)
c. Oct 805 21 Mar 832 Wulfred
8 Jun 832 30 Aug 832 Feologild (Feologeld) Abbot of an unknown monastery before election.
c. 27 Jul 833 4 Feb 870 Ceolnoth
870 30 Jun 888 Æthelred (Ethelred)
890 2 Aug 923 Plegmund (Plegemund) Clerk to King Alfred.
bet. 923 and 925 8 Jan 926 Athelm (Æðelhelm) Translated from Wells.
c. 926 12 Feb 941 Wulfhelm Translated from Wells.
941 2 Jun 958 Oda (Odo, Oda the Severe) Translated from Ramsbury; canonised: St Oda.
958 959 Ælfsige (Aelfsige)
959 dep. 959 Byrhthelm (Beorhthelm or Birthelm) Translated from Wells, deposed & returned to Wells.
959 19 May 988 Dunstan Translated from London; canonised: St Dunstan.
988 Feb 990 Æthelgar Translated from Selsey.
990 28 Oct 994 Sigeric Translated from Ramsbury.
el. 21 Apr 995 16 Nov 1005 Ælfric of Abingdon (Ælfric of Wessex) Translated from Winchester; canonised: St Aelfric.
1006 19 Apr 1012 Ælfheah (Alphege, Elphege, Alfege, or Godwine) Translated from Winchester; captured by Viking raiders and killed at Greenwich; canonised: St Alphege.
1013 12 Jun 1020 Lyfing Translated from Wells.
13 Nov 1020 c. 29 Oct 1038 Æthelnoth (Aethelnoth, Ethelnoth, Egelnodus, or Ednodus) Formerly Dean of Canterbury.
1038 29 Oct 1050 Eadsige (Eadsige, Eadsimus, or Eadsin)
Mar 1051 dep. Sep 1052 Robert of Jumièges (Robert Chambert or Robert Champart) Deposed.
1052 deprived 11 Apr 1070 Stigand Concurrently Bishop of Winchester; deprived of both sees.
Source(s):

After the Norman conquest

From Until Incumbent Notes Arms
29 Aug 1070 28 May 1089 Lanfranc Abbot of St. Étienne, Caen.
28 May 1089 4 Dec 1093 See vacant
4 Dec 1093 21 Apr 1109 Anselm Abbot of Bec; Canonised: St Anselm.
21 Apr 1109 26 Apr 1114 See vacant
el. 26 Apr 1114 2 Oct 1122 Ralph d'Escures Translated from Rochester.
18 Feb 1123 21 Nov 1136 William de Corbeil (William of Corbeil) Prior of St Osyth.
21 Nov 1136 8 Jan 1139 See vacant
8 Jan 1139 18 Apr 1161 Theobald of Bec (Tedbald) Abbot of Bec.
18 Apr 1161 3 Jun 1162 See vacant
3 Jun 1162 29 Dec 1170 Thomas Becket (Thomas of London, Thomas à Becket) Previously Archdeacon of Canterbury and Lord Chancellor; assassinated; canonised: St Thomas of Canterbury.
1173 (Roger de Bailleul) Abbot of Le Bec-Hellouin; elected but declined the see.
7 Apr 1174 16 Feb 1184 Richard (Richard of Dover) Prior of Dover.
tr. Dec 1184 Nov 1190 Baldwin of Forde Translated from Worcester.
el. 27 Nov 1191 26 Dec 1191 (Reginald Fitz Jocelin) (Reginald Italus, Richard the Lombard, or Reginald Lombardus) Translated from Wells; elected, however, appeals against it were sent to Pope Celestine III, but Reginald died before they were heard.
26 Dec 1191 29 May 1193 See vacant
tr. 29 May 1193 13 Jul 1205 Hubert Walter Translated from Salisbury; Lord Chancellor; Chief Justiciar.
el. bet. Jul
and Oct 1205
bet. Oct
and Dec 1206
(Reginald) Sub-prior, elected but set aside by Innocent III.
pos. 11 Dec 1205 c. 30 Mar 1206 (John de Gray) Bishop of Norwich; chosen by the monks but set aside by Pope Innocent III.
17 Jun 1207 9 Jul 1228 Cardinal Stephen Langton Created a cardinal in 1206.
Arms displayed by Stephen Langton, Archbishop of Canterbury, at the signing of Magna Charta
Arms of Langton: Argent, a cross quarter-pierced gules (start of heraldic era circa 1215)
el. 3 Aug 1228 Jan 1229 (Walter d'Eynsham) (Walter de Hempsham) Elected but set aside by King Henry III of England and Pope Gregory IX.
10 Jun 1229 3 Aug 1231 Richard le Grant (Richard Grant or Richard Wethershed) Formerly Chancellor of the see of Lincoln.
pos. 22 Sep 1231 20 Dec 1231 (Ralph Neville) (Ralf Nevill) Bishop of Chichester, election quashed by Pope Gregory IX.
el. 16 Mar 1232 12 Jun 1232 (John of Sittingbourne) election quashed by Pope Gregory IX.
el. 26 Aug 1232 1 Jun 1233 (John Blund) (Johannes Blund, Iohannes Blondus, Iohannes Blundus) election quashed by Pope Gregory IX.
2 Apr 1234 16 Nov 1240 Edmund of Abingdon Prebendary of Salisbury; canonised as: St Edmund of Abingdon.
Arms of Edmund of Abingdon
Arms of Saint Edmund of Abingdon: Or, a cross patonce gules between four Cornish choughs proper (now used by St Edmund Hall, Oxford)
el. 1 Feb 1241 14 Jul 1270 Boniface of Savoy Translated from Belley in France
Arms of the House of Savoy
Arms of Savoy: Gules, a cross argent
el. 9 Sep 1270 summer 1272 (William Chillenden) (Adam of Chillenden) Prior of Christ Church, Canterbury; elected but set aside by Pope Gregory X.
26 Feb 1273 res. 5 Jun 1278 Cardinal Robert Kilwardby OP Created a cardinal in 1278; and resigned.
pos. Jun or Jul 1278 Jan 1279 (Robert Burnell) (Robert Burnel) Bishop of Bath & Wells; elected but set aside by Pope Nicholas III.
19 Feb 1279 8 Dec 1292 John Peckham OFM (John Pecham) English Provincial of the Franciscan Order.
12 Sep 1294 11 May 1313 Robert Winchelsey (Robert Winchelsea) Formerly Archdeacon of Essex; Chancellor of Oxford
el. 28 May 1313 1 Oct 1313 (Thomas Cobham) Election quashed.
tr. 1 Oct 1313 16 Nov 1327 Walter Reynolds Translated from Worcester; Lord Chancellor; Lord Treasurer.
5 Jun 1328 12 Oct 1333 Simon Mepeham (Simon Meopham) Prebendary of Chichester Cathedral; excommunicated.
pos. 3 Nov 1333 23 Aug 1348 John de Stratford Translated from Winchester; Lord Chancellor.
Stratford type B 4
Arms of Stratford: Barry of ten argent and azure, a lion rampant gules langued or
nom. 24 Sep 1348 20 May 1349 (John de Ufford) Dean of Lincoln; Lord Chancellor; died of plague before consecration.
John de Ufford coat
Arms of Ufford: Sable, a cross engrailed or in chief two escallops argent
19 Jul 1349 26 Aug 1349 Thomas Bradwardine Died of plague Arms of Bradwardine: Barry of six ermine and ermines
20 Dec 1349 26 Apr 1366 Simon Islip Prebendary of St Paul's; secretary to the king and keeper of the Privy Seal.
1366 (William Edington) (William Edendon) Bishop of Winchester; elected but refused the see.
tr. 24 Jul 1366 res. 28 Nov 1368 Cardinal Simon Langham Translated from Ely; created a cardinal in 1368; and resigned the see. He was elected a second time in 1374, but Pope Gregory XI refused to confirm the election.
tr. 11 Oct 1368 Jun 1374 William Whittlesey (William Wittlesey) Translated from Worcester.
tr. 4 May 1375 14 Jun 1381 Simon Sudbury (Simon de Sudbury; Simon Tibold; Simon Theobold) Translated from London; Lord Chancellor; beheaded during the Peasants' Revolt.
tr. 31 Jul 1381 31 Jul 1396 William Courtenay Translated from London; Lord Chancellor.
Courtenay of Devon
Arms of Courtenay: Or, three torteaux a label azure
tr. 25 Sep 1396 dep. 1397 Thomas Arundel (Thomas Fitz-Alan) Translated from York; Lord Chancellor; charged with high treason under Richard II, fled but restored later.
FitzAlan arms
Arms of FitzAlan: Gules, a lion rampant or
nom. 8 Nov 1397 deprived 19 Oct 1399 Roger Walden Deprived.
restored
19 Oct 1399
19 Feb 1414 Thomas Arundel (again) (Thomas Fitz-Alan) Restored by Henry IV.
tr. 12 Mar 1414 12 Apr 1443 Henry Chichele (Henry Chicheley; Henry Checheley) Translated from St David's.
Arms of Chichele
Arms of Chichele: Or, a chevron between three cinquefoils gules
tr. 13 May 1443 25 May 1452 John Stafford Translated from Bath & Wells; Lord Chancellor; Lord Treasurer.
Stafford arms
Arms of Stafford: Or, a chevron gules
tr. 21 Jul 1452 22 Mar 1454 Cardinal John Kemp Created a cardinal in 1439; Translated from York; Lord Chancellor
tr. 23 Apr 1454 30 Mar 1486 Cardinal Thomas Bourchier Translated from Ely; Lord Chancellor; created a cardinal in 1467.
Bouchier
Arms of Bourchier: Argent, a cross engrailed gules between four water bougets sable
tr. 6 Oct 1486 15 Sep 1500 Cardinal John Morton Translated from Ely; Lord Chancellor. created a cardinal in 1493.
MoretonArms
Arms of Morton: Quarterly 1st & 4th: Gules, a goat's head erased armed argent; 2nd & 3rd: Ermine
22 Jan 1501 27 Jan 1501 (Thomas Langton) Bishop of Winchester; died 5 days after being chosen.
tr. 26 Apr 1501 15/17 Feb 1503 Henry Deane (Henry Dean; Henry Dene) Translated from Salisbury.
tr. 29 Nov 1503 22 Aug 1532 Hans Holbein d. J. 066.jpg William Warham Translated from London; Lord Chancellor until 1515.
WarhamArms
Arms of Warham: Gules, a fess or in chief a goat's head couped argent attired or in base three escallops two and one of the third
30 Mar 1533 deprived 13 Nov 1555 Thomas Cranmer by Gerlach Flicke.jpg Thomas Cranmer Archdeacon of Taunton; first Protestant archbishop; excommunicated by Rome and deprived for heresy 1553; put to death by burning, 21 March 1556.
Cranmer BishopricArms
Arms of Bishop Cranmer: Argent, on a chevron azure between three pelicans sable vulning themselves proper as many cinquefoils or
22 Mar 1556 18/19 Nov 1558 Cardinal Reginald Pole.jpg
Cardinal Reginald Pole
Dean of Exeter; created a cardinal in 1536; diocesan administrator since 11 December 1555; last Roman Catholic archbishop
Arms of Reginald Pole
Arms of Pole (2nd quarter): Per pale or and sable, a saltire engrailed counterchanged
Source(s):

After the Elizabethan Settlement

From Until Incumbent Notes
17 Dec 1559 17 May 1575 Archbishop Matthew Parker.jpg Matthew Parker Dean of Lincoln.
tr. 29 Dec 1575 6 Jul 1583 Edmund Grindal.jpg Edmund Grindal Translated from York.
nom. 14 Aug 1583 29 Feb 1604 Bp John Whitgift.jpg John Whitgift Translated from Worcester.
nom. 9 Oct 1604 2 Nov 1610 Richard Bancroft from NPG.jpg Richard Bancroft Translated from London.
nom. 4 Mar 1611 4 Aug 1633 George Abbot from NPG cropped.jpg George Abbot Translated from London.
nom. 6 Aug 1633 10 Jan 1645 William Laud.jpg William Laud Translated from London; executed in office; commemorated in the Church of England and the Episcopal Church in the USA.
10 Jan 1645 9 October 1646 See vacant
1646 1660 The see was abolished during the Commonwealth and the Protectorate.
nom. 2 Sep 1660 4 Jun 1663 William Juxon from NPG.jpg William Juxon Translated from London.
nom. 16 June 1663 9 Nov 1677 Gilbert Sheldon by Sir Peter Lely.jpg Gilbert Sheldon Translated from London.
27 Jan 1678 deprived 1 Feb 1690 AbpWilliamSancroft.jpg William Sancroft Dean of St Paul's; deprived for not taking oaths to William and Mary died 24 Nov 1693.
31 May 1691 22 Nov 1694 John Tillotson by Sir Godfrey Kneller, Bt.jpg John Tillotson Dean of St Paul's.
nom. 6 Dec 1694 14 Dec 1715 Thomas Tenison by Robert White.jpg Thomas Tenison Translated from Lincoln.
nom. 17 Dec 1715 24 Jan 1737 William Wake (Gibson).jpg William Wake Translated from Lincoln.
nom. 9 Feb 1737 10 Oct 1747 Abp John Potter.jpg John Potter Translated from Oxford.
nom. 21 Oct 1747 13 Mar 1757 ThomasHerring.jpg Thomas Herring Translated from York.
nom. 29 Mar 1757 19 Mar 1758 Apb Matthew Hutton.jpg Matthew Hutton Translated from York.
nom. 8 Mar 1758 3 Aug 1768 AbpThomasSecker.jpg Thomas Secker Translated from Oxford.
nom. 12 Aug 1768 19 Mar 1783 AbpFrederickCornwallis.jpg Frederick Cornwallis Translated from Lichfield & Coventry.
nom. 31 Mar 1783 18 Jan 1805 ArchbishopMoore.jpg John Moore Translated from Bangor.
nom. 1 Feb 1805 21 Jul 1828 Charles Manners-Sutton (1755–1828), Archbishop of Canterbury.jpeg Charles Manners-Sutton Translated from Norwich.
nom. 6 Aug 1828 11 Feb 1848 AbpWilliamHowley.jpg William Howley Translated from London.
nom. 17 Feb 1848 6 Sep 1862 AbpJohnBirdSumner.jpg John Bird Sumner Translated from Chester.
nom. 20 Oct 1862 28 Oct 1868 AbpCharlesThomasLongley.jpg Charles Longley Translated from York.
nom. 28 Nov 1868 1 Dec 1882 Archibald Campbell Tait by Bassano.jpg Archibald Campbell Tait Translated from London.
nom. 13 Jan 1883 11 Oct 1896 AbpEdwardWhiteBenson.jpg Edward White Benson Translated from Truro.
nom. 9 Nov 1896 22 Dec 1902 Frederick Temple by EAF Prynne.jpg Frederick Temple Translated from London.
nom. 14 Jan 1903 res. 12 Nov 1928 AbpRandallDavidson.jpg Randall Davidson Translated from Winchester; retired; died 25 May 1930.
nom. 13 Nov 1928 res. 31 Mar 1942 Cosmo Lang by Laszlo.jpg Cosmo Gordon Lang Translated from York; retired; died 5 December 1945.
nom. 1 Apr 1942 26 Oct 1944 The Royal Navy during the Second World War A11567 (Archbp Temple crop).jpg William Temple Translated from York. Died in office.
nom. 12 Jan 1945 res. 31 May 1961 Geoffrey Fisher by RG Eves.jpg Geoffrey Fisher Translated from London; retired; died 1972.
nom. 1 Jun 1961 res. 15 Nov 1974 Michael Ramsey 1974.jpg Michael Ramsey Translated from York; retired; died 23 April 1988.
nom. 18 Nov 1974 res. 25 Jan 1980 Donald Coggan (1964).jpg Donald Coggan Translated from York; retired; died 17 May 2000.
nom. 1 Feb 1980 res. 31 Jan 1991 Robert Runcie Translated from St Albans; retired; died 11 Jul 2000.
enth. 19 Apr 1991 res. 31 Oct 2002 Archbishop Carey 2006 crop.jpg George Carey Translated from Bath & Wells; retired.
el. conf. 2 Dec 2002 res. 31 Dec 2012 Rowan Williams.jpg Rowan Williams Translated from Monmouth. He was also Archbishop of Wales. His resignation was announced on 16 March 2012 and took effect at the end of 2012. He then returned to academia as Master of Magdalene College, Cambridge.
el. conf. 4 Feb 2013 Official portrait of The Lord Archbishop of Canterbury crop 2.jpg Justin Welby Translated from Durham. His appointment began in February 2013.

Assistant bishops

Those who have assisted the diocesan archbishop have included:

Two coadjutors – called Bishop of St Martin's — to Saxon archbishops:

  • 1035–1038: Eadsige, who succeeded as Archbishop
  • c. 1052 – c. 1061 (d.): Godwin

Lanfranc declared that appointments to that See would cease, and the Bishop of Rochester would deputise instead.

  • 1044–1048 (res.): Siward, coadjutor-archbishop/suffragan bishop, probably titular Bishop of Uppsala
  • 15 July 1469 – ?: Henry, consecrated to the titular see of Ioppe
  • 1469: Thomas Scrope, absentee Bishop of Dromore and assistant Bishop of Norwich (1450–1477)
  • 1480: William Westkarre, Prior of Mottisfont, titular bishop of Zeitun and assistant Bishop of Winchester (1457–1486)

Modern assistant bishops have included:

  • 1928 – 1939 (d.): Arthur Knight, Rector of Lyminge and former Bishop of Rangoon
  • 1935 – 1941 (ret.): Edward Bidwell, Vicar of Sellindge and former Bishop of Ontario
  • 1942 – 1955 (ret.): Basil Roberts, Warden of St Augustine's College and former Bishop of Singapore
  • 1960 – 1961 (res.): Denis Hall, Vicar of Thornton Heath and former Assistant Bishop on the Niger
  • 1994 – 1997 (res.): David Evans, Gen. Sec. of SAMS and former Bishop in Peru
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