The Archdeacon of Oxford is a senior ecclesiastical officer in the Diocese of Oxford, England. The office responsibility includes the care of clergy and church buildings within the area of the Archdeaconry of Oxford.
History The first archdeacon of Oxford is recorded before 1092 – around the time when archdeacons were first appointed across England – in the Diocese of Lincoln. He was one of eight archdeacons appointed by the bishop: Lincoln, Huntingdon, Northampton, Leicester, Buckingham, Bedford and Stow.
In the Henrican Reorganization, the archdeaconry was transferred to the newly-erected Diocese of Oxford in 1546. On 1 March 2014, the Archdeaconry of Oxford was split to create the new Archdeaconry of Dorchester;Ridgeway Broadsheet, March 2014 (Accessed 24 May 2014) the Archdeaconry of Oxford now consists solely of the City of Oxford itself, whereas the rest of the county of Oxfordshire is now in the Archdeaconry of Dorchester. The Archdeacon of Oxford continues to be Residentiary Canon of Christ Church and has strategic roles across the Diocese of Oxford as a whole, for example as Interfaith Advisor.
List of archdeacons
High Medieval bef. 1092–?: Alfred (first archdeacon) bef. 1112–aft. 1151: Walter of Oxford bef. 1151–1173 (res.): Robert Foliot bef. 1176–1183 (res.): Walter de Coutances –1196 (res.): John of Coutances (also Dean of Rouen from 1188) bef. 1197–aft. 1208: Walter Map (elected Bishop of Hereford in 1199 and Bishop of St David's in 1203) bef. 1212–1221 (d.): John of Tynemouth bef. 1221–1221 (res.): Matthew Stratton (became Archdeacon of Buckingham) bef. 1222 – February 1236 (d.): Adam de Sancto Edmundo bef. 1237–1240 (res.): Roger Weseham bef. 1240–aft. 1249: John de Sancto Egidio bef. 1250–aft. 1252: Richard of Gravesend –aft. 1258 (res.): Robert de Mariscis bef. 1259–1263 (res.): Henry of Sandwich bef. 1263–aft. 1272 (res.): Richard de Mepham (previously Archdeacon of Stafford; became Dean of Lincoln) bef. 1273–1274 (res.): John de Maidenstan (previously Archdeacon of Bedford; became Dean of Lincoln) bef. November 1274–bef. 1277: W. bef. 1278–1280 (res.): Nicholas de HeghamLeighton-Linslade Past Times – Prebendaries of Leighton Buzzard (Accessed 1 August 2014) bef. 1284–aft. 1284: unnamed archdeacon; possible Simon of Ghent. bef. 1284–1297 (res.): Simon of Ghent 1297–1298 (deprived): Pontius de Salino (lost dispute with Amadeus of Savoy) bef. 1298–aft. 1299: Amadeus of Savoy (Archdeacon of Rheims; probably ineffective) 15 February 1298 – 5 November 1303 (d.): William de Sardene
Late Medieval 10 December 1303–bef. 1313 (d.): Gilbert Segrave 12 March 1313 – 20 December 1356 (d.): Gaillard Cardinal de la Motte/Mothe (Cardinal-deacon of Santa Lucia in Orthea) bef. 1368–30 January 1404 (exch.): Thomas Southam (became Archdeacon of Berkshire) 9 February 1404 – 23 February 1441 (d.): John Southam bef. 1458-bef. 1467 (res.): Fulk Birmingham 2 July 1467–bef. 1472 (d.): John Boteler 10 October 1472 – 1482 (res.): Lionel Woodville 17 April 1482 – 1493 (res.): Oliver King 24 January 1493 – 1504 (res.): Richard Mayew 15 November 1504–bef. 1522 (d.): Christopher Urswick, Dean of Windsor until 1505 (also Archdeacon of Wilts, Archdeacon of Norfolk and Rector of Hackney) 24 March 1522 – 1528 (res.): George Heneage
7 October 1528–?: Nicholas Wilson 19 January 1535–bef. 1543 (d.): Richard Curwen
Early modern 1543–10 May 1561 (d.): Walter Wright On 26 January 1546, the archdeaconry was transferred to the new Diocese of Oxford. 1561–aft. 1592: John Kennall 1592–7 June 1614 (d.): John Drewry 17 June 1614–bef. 1624 (d.): William Bridges 1625–2 October 1661 (d.): Barten Holyday July 1663 – 1664 (dep.): Thomas Lamplugh (lost dispute with Barlow) 13 June 1664 – 1675 (res.): Thomas Barlow (became Bishop of Lincoln) 12 July 1675 – 21 July 1704 (d.): Timothy Halton 5 August 1704 – 20 January 1707 (d.): Humphrey Hody 5 February 1707 – 1715 (res.): Timothy Goodwin (became Bishop of Kilmore and Ardagh) 21 March 1715 – 1723 (res.): William Baker (became Bishop of Bangor) 27 April 1724 – 1724 (d.): Robert Cook 26 August 1724 – 4 July 1741 (d.): George Rye 23 September 1741–bef. 1767 (res.): John Potter (became Dean of Canterbury) 19 January 1767 – 24 March 1783 (d.): Thomas Randolph 30 June 1783 – 30 October 1797 (d.): George Turner 11 November 1797 – 4 February 1830 (d.): Phineas Pett 9 March 1830 – 24 December 1877 (d.): Charles Clerke
Late modern 1878–1895 (d.): Edwin PalmerMentioned in his son's ODNB article: 1895–1902 (res.): Leslie Randall, Bishop suffragan of Reading 1903–1921 (ret.): Thomas Archer Houblon 1921–1936 (ret.): Edward Shaw, Assistant Bishop 1936–1952 (ret.): Gerald Allen (also an Assistant Bishop until 1939; Bishop suffragan of Dorchester from 1939) 1957–1982 (ret.): Carlyle Witton-Davies (also Sub-Dean of Christ Church from 1972; afterwards archdeacon emeritus) 1982–1997 (res.): Frank Weston (became Bishop suffragan of Knaresborough) 1998–2005 (ret.): John Morrison (afterwards archdeacon emeritus) 2005–2011 (res.): Julian Hubbard (became Director of Ministry Division)Church of England – Profile of Hubbard 2011–2013 (Acting): Hedley Ringrose, Acting ArchdeaconThe Door (Oxford diocesan newspaper) – May 2012, p. 12 (Accessed 1 August 2014)Oxford Mail – Archdeacon for installation (Accessed 1 August 2014) Judy French, Assistant ArchdeaconOxford Mail – Canons fired up by Cathedral honour (Accessed 21 March 2014) 4 May 2013Trinity Times, Dec/Jan 2012–1328 January 2020: Martin Gorick (became Bishop suffragan of Dudley) 1 May 2020present: Jonathan Chaffey &
Archdeacons of Dorchester In 2013 and 2014, the Diocese of Oxford discussed and resolved to undertake some pastoral alterations; the new archdeaconry of Dorchester was created on 1 March 2014. On 19 June 2014, Judy French was collated the first Archdeacon of Dorchester;Diocese of Oxford – New archdeacon for Dorchester (Accessed 21 March 2014) retired archdeacon Hedley Ringrose was Interim Archdeacon since 2013. French retired effective 30 September 2022. It was announced in February 2023 that David Tyler would become the next Archdeacon of Dorchester; he was so collated on 18 March 2023.
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