The Diocese of Canterbury also referred to as the See of Canterbury is a Church of England diocese covering eastern Kent which was founded by St Augustine of Canterbury in 597. The diocese is centred on Canterbury Cathedral and is the oldest see of the Church of England.
Bishops The diocesan bishop is the archbishop of Canterbury. However, because of their roles as metropolitan bishop of the Province of Canterbury, Primate of All England and "first bishop" of the worldwide Anglican Communion, the archbishop (whose primary residence is at Lambeth Palace in London) is often away from the diocese. Therefore, their suffragan bishop, the bishop of Dover (presently Rose Hudson-Wilkin), is in many ways empowered to act almost as if she were the diocesan bishop.
The diocese had from 1944 to 2009 a second locally focussed suffragan bishop, the bishop of Maidstone (this version of the post was discontinued in November 2010), who had a similar though subordinate role to that of the Bishop of Dover.Canterbury Diocese — Synod News Two suffragans have nominal sees in the diocese — the bishops of Ebbsfleet and Richborough, who are provincial episcopal visitors with a wider focus than the diocese.
Besides the archbishop and the bishop of Dover, three honorary assistant bishops supervise and officiate. Alternative episcopal oversight (for parishes in the diocese who reject the ministry of priests who are women) is provided by the provincial episcopal visitor (PEV), the bishop suffragan of Richborough (Luke Irvine-Capel). There are three honorary assistant bishops licensed in the diocese: 2003–present: Michael Turnbull, retired former bishop of Durham and bishop of Rochester, lives in Sandwich. 2008–present: Richard Llewellin, retired former bishop at Lambeth (chief of staff for the archbishop at Lambeth Palace) and former bishop of Dover, lives in Canterbury. 2009–present: Graham Cray, retired archbishops' missioner and fresh expressions team leader and former bishop suffragan of Maidstone lives in Harrietsham.
Diocesan structure For organisational purposes, the diocese is divided into three archdeaconries, containing a total of sixteen deaneries, which are further subdivided into parishes: Canterbury Diocese comprises 202 parishes organised in 100 legal benefices. DioceseArchdeaconriesRural deaneriesDiocese of CanterburyArchdeaconry of CanterburyDeanery of CanterburyDeanery of East BridgeDeanery of ReculverDeanery of ThanetDeanery of Stour ValleyArchdeaconry of AshfordDeanery of AshfordDeanery of DoverDeanery of ElhamDeanery of Romney Deanery of SandwichDeanery of Vineyard Archdeaconry of MaidstoneDeanery of MaidstoneDeanery of North DownsDeanery of OspringeDeanery of SittingbourneDeanery of Weald
Churches
Extra-parochial areas
Canterbury Old Castle Precincts (population 34) Canterbury St Augustine (population 444) Canterbury St John's Hospital (population 34) Canterbury St Nicholas Hospital (population 24) Canterbury The Archbishop's Palace Precinct (population 17) Canterbury The Mint (population 26) Canterbury The Ville of Christ Church (population 375): Christ Church Cathedral, Canterbury (medieval) Dover Castle (population 0): St Mary in Castro Proprietary Chapel (Saxon, deconsecrated 1690, restored 1862, serves the Dover Garrison) Dunkirk (population 7)
Archdeaconry of Canterbury
Deanery of Canterbury
Benefice and Parish of St-Cosmas-and-St-Damian-in-the-Blean (population 4,202): SS Cosmas & Damian's Church, Blean (medieval) Benefice of Canterbury St Dunstan, St Mildred & St Peter Parish of Saint Dunstan with Holy Cross (population 7,042): St Dunstan's Church (medieval) --- Holy Cross Church (medieval, redundant 1972) Parish of Saint Peter with Saint Alphege and Saint Margaret and Saint Mildred with Saint Mary de Castro, Canterbury (population 3,055): St Peter's Church (medieval, closed 1928, reopened 1953) --- St Mildred's Church (medieval) --- St Alphege's Church (medieval, closed 1982) --- St Margaret's Church (medieval, closed C20th) --- St Mary de Castro Church (medieval, closed C16th) --- St Mary Bredman Church (medieval, rebuilt 1822, 1882, demolished 1900) --- St Andrew's Church (medieval, rebuilt 1774, closed 1888) --- St George the Martyr's Church (medieval, destroyed 1942) --- All Saints' Church (medieval, rebuilt 1828, closed 1902) --- St Mary Bredin Old Church (medieval, rebuilt 1867, destroyed 1942) --- St Mary Magdalene's Church (medieval, closed 1866) --- St John the Baptist's Church (medieval, closed C14th) --- St Edmund's Church (medieval, closed C14th) --- St Mary Northgate Church (medieval, rebuilt 1773, closed 1912) --- St Mary Queningate Church (medieval, closed C14th) --- St Michael's Church (medieval, closed C16th) --- St Pancras' Church (Saxon, closed) Benefice and Parish of Canterbury All Saints (population 8,195): All Saints' Church (1844)1 --- St Gregory's Church (1851, closed 1975) Benefice and Parish of Canterbury St Martin and St Paul (population 8,095): St Martin's Church (Saxon) --- St Paul's Church (medieval) Benefice and Parish of Canterbury St Mary Bredin (population 8,762): St Mary Bredin New Church (post-1942) Benefice and Parish of Hackington (population 9,042): St Stephen's Church, Canterbury (medieval) Benefice and Parish of Harbledown (population 5,810): St Michael and All Angels' Church, Harbledown (medieval) --- St Gabriel's Mission Church, Rough Common (1890) Benefice and Parish of Sturry with Fordwich and Westbere with Hersden (population 8,139): St Nicholas' Local Ecumenical Partnership, Sturry (medieval) --- All Saints' Church, Westbere (medieval) --- St Mary the Virgin's Church, Fordwich (medieval, closed 1995) --- St Alban's Church, Hersden (1930s, closed 1978) Benefice and Parish of Thanington (population 3,879): St Nicholas' Church (medieval) --- St Faith's Mission Church (C19th/20th, used occasionally)
1dedicated to St Alban (as a Garrison Church) until 1976
Deanery of East Bridge
Benefice of Barham Downs with Adisham and Aylesham Parish of Adisham (population 640): Holy Innocents' Church (medieval) Parish of Aylesham (population 6,402): St Peter's Church (1927) Parish of Barham (population 1,494): St John the Baptist's Church (medieval) Parish of Bishopsbourne (population 237): St Mary's Church (medieval) Parish of Kingston (population 456): St Giles' Church (medieval) Parish of Womenswold (population 293): St Margaret's Church (medieval) Benefice and Parish of The Bridge (population 3,242): St Peter's Church, Bekesbourne (medieval) --- St Peter's Church, Bridge (medieval) --- St Mary's Church, Patrixbourne (medieval) --- St Mary's Church, Lower Hardres (medieval, rebuilt 1832) --- St Mary's Church, Nackington (medieval) Benefice of Canonry Parish of Ash with Westmarsh (population 3,335): St Nicholas' Church, Ash (medieval) --- Holy Trinity Church, Westmarsh (1841, closed 1968) Parish of Chillenden with Knowlton (population 115): All Saints' Church, Chillenden (medieval) --- St Clement's Church, Knowlton (medieval, redundant pre-1991) Parish of Elmstone with Preston and Stourmouth (population 1,254): Elmstone Parish Church (medieval) --- St Mildred's Church, Preston-next-Wingham (medieval) --- All Saints' Mission Church, Stourmouth (medieval, redundant 1979) Parish of Goodnestone(-next-Wingham) (population 273): Holy Cross Church (medieval, rebuilt 1841) Parish of Nonington (population 907): St Mary the Virgin's Church (medieval) Benefice of Little Stour Parish of Ickham with Wickhambreaux and Stodmarsh (population 949): St John the Evangelist's Church, Ickham (medieval) --- St Mary's Church, Stodmarsh (medieval) --- St Andrew's Church, Wickhambreaux (medieval) Parish of Littlebourne (population 1,620): St Vincent's Church (medieval) Parish of Wingham (population 1,706): St Mary the Virgin's Church (medieval)
Deanery of Reculver
Benefice and Parish of Herne (population 15,901): St Martin's Church (medieval) --- St Peter's Mission Church, Greenhill (1960s) Benefice and Parish of Herne Bay Christ Church (population 14,469): Christ Church (1841, parish church 1849, building 1835) --- St Andrew's Mission Church, Hampton (C20th) --- St John the Evangelist's Church, Herne Bay (1902, closed 1973) Benefice and Parish of Reculver (population 10,640): St Mary the Virgin's Church, Reculver (1813, rebuilt 1878) --- St Bartholomew's Church, Herne Bay (1908, rebuilt 1932, parish church 1936) --- Holy Cross Church, Hoath (medieval) --- St Mary's Old Church, Reculver (Saxon, destroyed 1809) Benefice and Parish of Whitstable (population 32,653): All Saints' Church (medieval) --- St Peter's District Church (1870s, rebuilt as parish church 1935) --- St Alphege's District Church (1840s) --- St Alphege's Old Church, Seasalter (medieval) --- St Alphege's New Church, Seasalter (2007) --- St John the Baptist's District Church, Swalecliffe (medieval, rebuilt 1875) --- St Andrew's Church, Whitstable?
Deanery of Stour Valley Previously known as West Bridge. Benefice of Chartham and Upper Hardres with Stelling Parish of Chartham (population 4,759): St Mary's Church (medieval) Parish of Upper Hardres with Stelling (population 944): SS Peter & Paul's Church, Upper Hardres (medieval) --- St Mary's Church, Stelling (medieval) Benefice of King's Wood Parish of Challock and Molash (population 1,336): SS Cosmas & Damian's Church, Challock (medieval) --- St Peter's Church, Molash (medieval) Parish of Chilham (population 1,746): St Mary's Church (medieval) Parish of Crundale (population 210): St Mary the Blessed Virgin's Church (medieval) Parish of Godmersham (population 366): St Lawrence the Martyr's Church (medieval) Benefice of Wye Parish of Boughton Aluph and Eastwell (population 1,868): All Saints' Church, Boughton Aluph (medieval) --- St Christopher's Church, Boughton Lees (1950s, building medieval, closed C21st)* --- St Mary's Church, Eastwell (medieval, collapsed 1951) Parish of Brook (population 352): St Mary's Church (medieval) Parish of Petham (population 681): All Saints' Church (medieval, rebuilt 1922) Parish of Upon The Hills (population 917): St James the Great's Church, Elmsted (medieval) --- St Mary the Virgin's Church, Hastingleigh (medieval) --- St Bartholomew's Church, Waltham (medieval) Parish of Wye with Hinxhill (population 2,485): SS Gregory & Martin's Church, Wye (medieval, rebuilt 1711)1 --- St Mary's Mission Church, Hinxhill (medieval)
1original dedication to St Gregory
Deanery of Thanet
Benefice and Parish of Birchington with Acol and Minnis Bay (population 11,019): All Saints' Church, Birchington (medieval) --- St Mildred's Mission Church, Acol (1876) --- St Thomas' Mission Church, Minnis Bay (1932) Benefice and Parish of Broadstairs Holy Trinity (population 5,865): Holy Trinity Church (1830, parish church 1850) Benefice and Parish of Margate All Saints Westbrook (population 5,745): All Saints' Church (1882, rebuilt and parish church 1894) Benefice and Parish of Margate Holy Trinity (population 8,033): Holy Trinity New Church, Northdown Park (1959) --- Holy Trinity Old Church (1829, parish church 1842, destroyed 1943) Benefice and Parish of Margate St John the Baptist (population 15,328): St John the Baptist's Church (medieval) Benefice and Parish of Margate St Paul Cliftonville (population 8,263): St Paul's Church (1873) Benefice and Parish of Margate St Philip Northdown Park (population 3,380): St Philip's Church, Palm Bay (1993) Benefice and Parish of Ramsgate Christ Church (population 6,064): Christ Church (1847, services discontinued 2023, restarted 2025) Benefice and Parish of Ramsgate Holy Trinity (population 6,138): Holy Trinity Church (1845) Benefice and Parish of Ramsgate St George (population 4,628): St George the Martyr's Church (1824) --- St Paul's Church (1873, rebuilt 1887, closed 1940) Benefice and Parish of Ramsgate St Luke (population 6,470): St Luke's Church (1876)