The Diocese of Norwich is an ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the Church of England, forming part of the Province of Canterbury in England. Its origins trace back to the early medieval bishopric of Elmham and Thetford, which were subsequently merged and relocated to Norwich in 1095 under Bishop Herbert de Losinga. Historically, the diocese has overseen numerous parishes across Norfolk and Suffolk, and it played a significant role in the religious and political developments of medieval England. Today, it continues to function as an important administrative and spiritual centre within the Anglican Church.
History The Diocese of Norwich traces its origins to the early medieval Bishopric of East Anglia, founded in 630 at Dommoc (likely Dunwich or nearby). Like many Anglo-Saxon bishoprics, it relocated over time, moving to Elmham in 673. Following the Norman Conquest, it was transferred to Thetford in 1070 before finally settling in Norwich in 1095 under Bishop Herbert de Losinga.
It currently oversees 563 parishes and 656 churches, covering nearly all of Norfolk except for the extreme west beyond the River Great Ouse, which falls under the Diocese of Ely. The diocese also includes the deanery of Lothingland, encompassing the port of Lowestoft and its surrounding areas in Suffolk. This totals an area of over with a population of approximately 867,000 (as of 2008).
Like most older dioceses, its territory has gradually reduced over time. Until the formation of the Diocese of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich in 1914, Suffolk was included, along with other areas in earlier periods.
Organisation
Bishops
The Bishop of Norwich (Graham Usher) leads the diocese and is assisted by two suffragan bishops, the Bishop of Thetford (Ian Bishop) and the Bishop of Lynn (Jane Steen). The suffragan sees of Ipswich and of Thetford were both created by the Suffragan Bishops Act 1534 but went into abeyance after one incumbent; Thetford was next filled in 1894 and Ipswich in 1899. The See of Ipswich has been in abeyance since before the diocesan see including that city's name was created; a new second suffragan see – of Lynn – was therefore founded in 1963.
Alternative episcopal oversight (for parishes in the diocese which do not accept the ordination of women as priests) is provided by the provincial episcopal visitor, Norman Banks, Bishop suffragan of Richborough, who is licensed as an honorary assistant bishop of the diocese to facilitate his ministry. There are also seven retired bishops living in the diocese who are licensed as honorary assistant bishops: 2000–20??: Malcolm Menin, retired Bishop suffragan of Knaresborough, lived in Lakenham. 2001–present: Richard Garrard, retired Director of the Anglican Centre in Rome & Archbishop's Representative to the Holy See and former Bishop of Penrith, lives in Upper Stoke and is also licensed in the Diocese in Europe. 2003–present: David Leake, retired Bishop of Argentina and former Presiding Bishop in the Southern Cone, lives in East Runton. 2004–present: Tony Foottit, retired Bishop suffragan of Lynn, lives in Reepham. 2006–present: Peter Fox, former Bishop of Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea is Vicar of the Lakenham Group. 2008–present: David Gillett, retired Bishop suffragan of Bolton, lives in Diss. 2009–present: Lindsay Urwin, Administrator of the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham, is a former area Bishop of Horsham. He is also licensed in Ely, Peterborough and Chichester dioceses.
Archdeaconries and deaneries The former deaneries of Ingworth and Sparham were combined in 2018. The deaneries of St Benet at Waxham and Tunstead were combined in 1996. The deanery of Hingham and Mitford was split between the deaneries of Dereham and Humbleyard in 1995. DioceseArchdeaconriesRural DeaneriesPaid clergyChurchesPopulationPeople/clergyPeople/churchChurches/clergyDiocese of NorwichArchdeaconry of NorwichDeanery of Norwich East21*18*51,9152,4722,8840.86Deanery of Norwich North131895,8917,3765,3271.38Deanery of Norwich South91269,5987,7335,8001.33Archdeaconry of NorfolkDeanery of Blofield62926,9804,4979304.83Deanery of Depwade62818,1563,0266484.67Deanery of Great Yarmouth92893,77710,4203,3493.11Deanery of Humbleyard123238,8243,2351,2132.67Deanery of Loddon63721,2763,5465756.17Deanery of Lothingland132382,2006,3233,5741.77Deanery of Redenhall63029,5564,9269855Deanery of St Benet at Waxham & Tunstead84537,0814,6358245.63Deanery of Thetford & Rockland92848,3185,3691,7263.11Archdeaconry of LynnDeanery of Breckland73933,6394,8068635.57Deanery of Burnham & Walsingham8**46**22,6362,8304925.75Deanery of Dereham in Mitford115546,8914,2638535Deanery of Heacham & Rising72623,2953,3288963.71Deanery of Holt73714,4852,0693915.29Deanery of Ingworth & Sparham105731,6403,1645555.7Deanery of Lynn132155,9834,3062,6661.62Deanery of Repps62829,0994,8501,0394.67Total/average187637871,2404,6591,3683.41 *including Cathedral
**including Walsingham Shrine
Churches
Not in a deanery BeneficeChurchesFoundedClergyPopulation servedCathedralCathedral of the Holy and Undivided Trinity, NorwichMedievalA. BryantA. PlattenP. DollK. James215Shrine Church of Our Lady of WalsinghamK. Smith
Deanery of Norwich East BeneficeChurchesLinkFoundedClergyPopulation servedNorwich (St Andrew)St Andrew, NorwichMedievalM. Young33Norwich Colegate and TomblandSt George Colegate, NorwichMedievalA. Lewis1,732St George Tombland, NorwichMedievalNorwich (St Giles)St Giles, NorwichMedievalD. Thornton2,321Norwich (St Helen)St Helen, NorwichMedievalE. Langan332Norwich Timberhill with Norwich St JulianSt Julian, NorwichMedievalR. Stanton3,798St John the Baptist, TimberhillMedievalNorwich (St Peter Mancroft) (St John Maddermarket)St Peter Mancroft, NorwichMedievalE. CarterG. Kirk-SpriggsF. Haworth341Norwich (St Stephen)St Stephen, NorwichMedievalM. LightA. Irving1,116Norwich HeartseaseSt Francis, Heartsease1956J. WyerT. Sibanda5,775Norwich Lakenham (St Mark)St Mark, Lakenham1840sS. West-Lindell2,842Norwich, Lakenham (St John the Baptist and All Saints) and Tuckswood St PaulSt John the Baptist & All Saints, LakenhamMedievalP. Rider8,444St Paul, Tuckswood1969Thorpe (St Andrew) (Good Shepherd)St Andrew, Thorpe St AndrewMedieval (1860s)J. Stewart14,355Good Shepherd, ThorpeThorpe (St Matthew)St Matthew, Thorpe Hamlet1981P. JordanT. Williams9,566Trowse (St Andrew)St Andrew, TrowseMedievalR. Braby1,045
Deanery of Norwich North BeneficeChurchesLinkFoundedClergyPopulation servedNew Catton (Christ Church)Christ Church, New Catton1840P. Harvey6,837New Catton (St Luke) with St AugustineSt Luke, Norwich1990S. Quantrill8,335Old CattonSt Margaret, Old CattonMedieval8,500DraytonSt Margaret, DraytonMedievalM. Palmer4,908HellesdonSt Mary, HellesdonMedievalA. Alder12,523St Paul, Hellesdon1950s?Horsford, Felthorpe and HevinghamSt Margaret, FelthorpeMedievalM. McPhee6,231SS Mary the Virgin & Botolph, HevinghamMedievalAll Saints, HorsfordMedievalHorsham St Faith, Spixworth and CrostwickSt Peter, CrostwickR. Maskell6,046SS Andrew & Mary, Horsham St FaithMedievalSt Peter, SpixworthMedievalMile CrossSt Catherine, Mile Cross1936M. Hartley8,353Norwich (St Mary Magdalene) with St JamesSt Mary Magdalene, Norwich1902L. Tillett6,593Sprowston with BeestonSS Mary & Margaret, SprowstonS. StokesD. AkrillA. Bunter16,591St Cuthbert, Sprowston1886Taverham with RinglandSt Edmund, TavenhamP. Seabrook10,974St Peter, Ringland
Deanery of Norwich South BeneficeChurchesLinkFoundedClergyPopulation servedBowthorpeBowthorpe Church (LEP)1984 -7,964CostesseySt Edmund, CostesseyMedievalJ. Pinto10,975St Helen, New Costessey1975EarlhamSt Anne, EarlhamD. Rowlandson19,075St Elizabeth, EarlhamSt Mary, Earlham (MED)MedievalEaton (Christ Church)Christ Church, EatonP. Richmond6,709Eaton (St Andrew)St Andrew, EatonMedievalP. Rodd5,262HeighamHoly Trinity, Heigham1861R. JamesJ. Pinto5,737The MitreSt Thomas, Norwich1886T. EaglesJ. PayneA. Poole13,876St Barnabas, Heigham1903St Alban, Lakenham1932
Deanery of Blofield BeneficeChurchesLinkClergyPopulation servedAcle and Bure to YareSt Edmund King & Martyr, AcleAll Saints, BeightonAll Saints, FreethorpeSS Peter & Paul, HalvergateSt Margaret, CantleySt Botolph, LimpenhoeSt John the Baptist, ReedhamSt Andrew, WickhamptonM. Greenland6,850BlofieldSS Andrew & Peter, BlofieldSt Andrew, BurlinghamAll Saints, HemblingtonK. Billson3,843BroadsideSt Helen, RanworthSt Mary, Fishley (?)St Margaret, UptonSt Mary, South WalshamSS Fabian & Sebastian, Woodbastwick -1,962Burlingham with Lingwood, Strumpshaw with Hassingham and BuckenhamSt Edmund King & Martyr, BurlinghamSt Peter, LingwoodSt Mary, HassinghamSt Peter, StrumpshawD. Wakefield3,079Great and Little Plumstead, Rackheath with Salhouse and WittonSt Mary, Great PlumsteadSS Gervase & Protase, Little PlumsteadSt David, Thorpe End (1993)St Margaret, WittonHoly Trinity, RackheathAll Saints, SalhouseD. Plattin6,877The Yare Valley ChurchesSt Michael & All Angels, BraydestonSt Lawrence, BrundallAll Saints, PostwickP. Leech4,369
Deanery of Depwade BeneficeChurchesLinkClergyPopulation servedBrooke, Kirstead, Mundham with Seething and ThwaiteSt Peter, BrookeL. Chapman2,239St Margaret, KirsteadSt Peter, MundhamSt Margaret, SeethingSt Mary, ThwaiteHempnallSt Margaret, HempnallM. KingstonE. Billett2,822St Andrew, BedinghamSt John the Baptist, MorningthorpeSt Catherine, FrittonSt Margaret, HardwickSt Mary, SheltonSt Margaret, TopcroftAll Saints, WoodtonThe Long Stratton and Pilgrim Team MinistryAll Saints, Carleton RodeH. WilcoxJ. Madinda7,575St Michael, AslactonSt Michael & All Angels, BunwellSt Michael, Great MoultonSt Mary, Stratton St MarySt Michael, Stratton St MichaelAll Saints, TibenhamAll Saints, WactonNewton Flotman, Swainsthorpe, Tasburgh, Tharston, Saxlingham Nethergate and ShoteshamSt Mary the Virgin, Newton FlotmanD. DavidsonA. Uzoigwe5,520St Mary the Virgin, Saxlingham NethergateAll Saints, ShoteshamSt Mary, ShoteshamSt Peter, SwainsthorpeSt Mary, TasburghSt Mary, Tharston
Deanery of Great Yarmouth BeneficeChurchesLinkClergyPopulation servedBelton and Burgh CastleAll Saints, BeltonR. Bunn4,958SS Peter & Paul, Burgh CastleBradwellSt Nicholas, Bradwell -10,494Caister Next YarmouthHoly Trinity, Caister-on-SeaD. Wells9,124St Edmund, Caister-on-SeaThe Flegg Coastal BeneficeSt Mary, HemsbyJ. Bloomfield4,928All Saints, HorseySt Mary, West SomertonHoly Trinity & All Saints, WintertonGorleston (St Andrew)St Andrew, GorlestonB. HallM. Simm15,889Gorleston (St Mary Magdalene)St Mary Magdalene, GorlestonM. Price9,480Martham and Repps with Bastwick, Thurne and ClippesbySt Peter, ClippesbyS. Sivyer4,271St Mary, MarthamSt Peter, ReppsSt Edmund, ThurneOrmesby St Margaret with Scratby, Ormesby St Michael and RollesbySt Margaret, Ormesby St Margaret -5,181St Michael, Ormesby St MichaelSt George, RollesbyThe South Trinity BroadsAll Saints, BillockbyS. Hemsley Halls2,322SS Margaret & Mary, BurghAll Saints, FilbySS Peter & Paul, MautbySS Peter & Paul, RunhamSt Andrew, StokesbySt Mary, ThrigbyGreat YarmouthMinster of St Nicholas, Great YarmouthS. WardJ. Sander-HeysH. Lynch27,130St Paul, Great Yarmouth (1890s)St Mary, Southtown
Deanery of Humbleyard