The Bishop of Hereford is the ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Hereford in the Province of Canterbury. Until 1534, the Diocese of Hereford was in full communion with the Roman Catholic Church and two of its bishops were canonised. During the English Reformation the bishops of England and Wales conformed to the independent Church of England under Henry VIII and Edward VI, but, under Mary I, they adhered to the Roman Catholic Church. Since the accession of Elizabeth I the diocese has again been part of the Church of England and Anglican Communion.
The episcopal see is centred in the City of Hereford where the bishop's seat (cathedra) is in the Cathedral Church of Saint Mary and Saint Ethelbert. The diocese was founded for the minor sub-kingdom of the Magonsæte in 676. It now covers the whole of the county of Herefordshire, southern Shropshire and a few parishes in Worcestershire, Powys and Monmouthshire. The arms of the see are gules, three leopard's faces reversed jessant-de-lys or, which were the personal arms of Bishop Thomas de Cantilupe (d.1282).
The current bishop is Richard Jackson. The bishop's residence is The Palace, Hereford.
List of bishops Note: The chronology prior to 1056 is partly conjectural.
Anglo-Saxon bishops Anglo-Saxon Bishops of Hereford From Until Incumbent Notes 676 676 x 688 Putta Formerly Bishop of Rochester (669–676). As the refounder of Hereford Cathedral, he was recorded as Bishop of Uuestor Elih, although may not have actually held the office of Bishop of Hereford, but was considered to have been such by c. 800. 688 705 x 710 Tyrhtel Also recorded as Thyrtell or Tirhtullus. 710 727 x 731 Torhthere Also recorded as Torchtere;Tortherus. 727 x 731 731 x 736 Walhstod Also recorded as Walchstod; Walstodus; Wastoldus.Formerly Abbot of Glastonbury. 736 740 Cuthbert Also recorded as Cuthbeorht. Abbot of Lyminge. Translated to Canterbury. 741 747 x 758 Podda 747 x 758 758 x 770 Acca Also recorded as Ecca. 758 x 770 770 x 777 Headda Also recorded as Ceadda. 777 x 778 781 x 786 Aldberht Also recorded as Aaldberht; Albertus; Alberus; Ealdbeorht. 781 x 786 786 x 788 Esne Also recorded as Esna. 786 x 788 793 x 798 Ceolmund Also recorded as Celmundus; Celmund. 793 x 798 799 x 801 Utel Also recorded as Utellus. 799 x 801 822 x 824 Wulfheard Also recorded as Wulfhard; Wulfehard. 824 825 x 832 Beonna Also recorded as Benna. 825 x 832 836 x 839 Eadwulf Also recorded as Eadulf; Edulph. 836 x 839 857 x 866 Cuthwulf Also recorded as Cuthwolf. 857 x 866 857 x 866 Mucel Also recorded as Mucellus. 857 x 866 884 x 888 Deorlaf 888 888 x 890 Cynemund Also recorded as Cunemund; Ceynemundus. 888 x 890 930 or 931 Edgar Also recorded as Eadgar. 930 or 931 934 or 937 x 940 Tidhelm 934 or 937 x 940 934 or 937 x 940 Wulfhelm Also recorded as Wulfehelm. 934 or 937 x 940 949 x 958 or 971 Ælfric ? x 971 1013 x ? Athulf Also recorded as Æthelwulf. Formerly a monk of Old Minster, Winchester. 1013 x 1016 1056 Æthelstan Died in office on 10 February 1056. March 1056 June 1056 Leofgar Also recorded as Leovegard. Previously chaplain to Harold Godwinson. Consecrated in March 1056. Died in office on 16 June 1056. Canonised Saint Leovegard. 1056 1061 Ealdred Also Bishop of Worcester (1044–1062) and Archbishop of York (1061–1069). Source(s):, Handbook of British Chronology, p. 217.
Norman conquest to the Reformation