David Edward Bentley (7 August 1935 – 4 March 2020) was an English bishop. He was first the Bishop of Lynn and, subsequently, the Bishop of Gloucester in the Church of England.
Early life and education The son of William Bentley and his wife Florence Dalgleish, Bentley was educated at Great Yarmouth Grammar School and the University of Leeds, where he graduated BA in English literature. He studied for ordination at Westcott House, Cambridge. "Bentley, Rt Rev. David Edward", Who Was Who, online edition 1 December 2007 by Oxford University Press, accessed 1 April 2026 Debrett's People of Today: (1992, London, Debrett's)
Ordained ministry Bentley was ordained in 1961. He began his ordained ministry as a curate at St Ambrose's Bristol and Holy Trinity with St Mary in Guildford; after which he was rector of Headley, East Hampshire,Crockford's Clerical Directory 1975-76, London: Oxford University Press, 1976, Rural Dean of Esher and (his final position before ordination to the episcopate) Warden of the Community of All Hallows, Ditchingham.Who's Who 1992, London, A & C Black, 1991, .
He was consecrated as a bishop on 22 July 1986, by Robert Runcie, Archbishop of Canterbury, at Southwark Cathedral. On retirement he moved to Lichfield where he was an Honorary Assistant Bishop in the Diocese of Lichfield. His two sons in law are Suffragan Bishops.Obituary, The Daily Telegraph, London, 16 March 2020
Private life In 1962, Bentley married Clarice Lahmers, and they had two sons and two daughters.
He died on 4 March 2020 at the age of 84.Bentley, The Times, March 2020
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