The archbishop of Canterbury is the most senior bishop of the established Church of England as "Primate of All England"."Roles and priorities" , the Archbishop of Canterbury's official website. They also serve as the head of the worldwide Anglican Communion.

Before the Reformation, the archbishop served as a prelate of the Catholic Church.

History From the 6th century to the 16th century, the archbishops of Canterbury were in full communion with the bishops of Rome, the popes. Eighteen such pre-Reformation archbishops have been canonised by the 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:Archbishop's Roles and Responsibilities , Archbishop of Canterbury Retrieved 8 February 2008. To be 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"). To be 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", to be the chief religious figure in the Church of England (senior to the archbishop of York, who is styled the "Primate of England"). The British monarch 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.Walsh Dictionary of Saints p. 73 c. 604 2 Feb 619 Laurence (Laurentius, Lawrence) Canonised: St Laurence of Canterbury.Walsh Dictionary of Saints p. 357 619 24 Apr 624 Mellitus Translated from London;Fryde, et al. Handbook of British Chronology p. 213 canonised: St Mellitus.Walsh Dictionary of Saints p. 420 624 10 Novbet. 627 and 631 Justus Translated from Rochester; canonised: St Justus. 627 30 Sep 653 Honorius Canonised: St Honorius.Walsh Dictionary of Saints p. 268 Mar 655 14 Jul 664 Deusdedit Canonised: St Deusdedit.Walsh Dictionary of Saints p. 154 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.Walsh Dictionary of Saints p. 581 29 Jun 693 13 Jan 731 Berhtwald (Brihtwald, Beorhtweald, Bertwald, Berthwald, Beorhtwald, or Beretuald) Abbot of Reculver;Delaney Dictionary of Saints p. 90 canonised: St Berhtwald. 10 Jun 731 30 Jul 734 Tatwine (Tatwin, Tatuini, or Tadwinus) Canonised: St Tatwine.Walsh Dictionary of Saints p. 571 735 17 Oct 739 Nothhelm (Nothelm) Canonised: St Nothelm.Walsh Dictionary of Saints p. 453 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.Walsh Dictionary of Saints pp. 454–455 958 959 Ælfsige (Aelfsige) 959 dep. 959 Byrhthelm (Beorhthelm or Birthelm) Translated from Wells, deposed & returned to Wells. 959 19 May 988 Dunstan OSB Translated from London; previously abbot of Glastonbury; canonised: St Dunstan.Walsh Dictionary of Saints p. 164 988 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.Walsh Dictionary of Saints p. 12 1006 19 Apr 1012 Ælfheah (Alphege, Elphege, Alfege, or Godwine) Translated from Winchester; captured by Viking raiders and killed at Greenwich; canonised: St Alphege.Walsh Dictionary of Saints p. 28 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): Fryde, et al. Handbook of British Chronology p. 214

After the Norman conquest