The Diocese of Exeter is a Church of England diocese covering the county of Devon. It is one of the largest dioceses in England. The Cathedral Church of St Peter in Exeter is the seat of the diocesan Bishop of Exeter. It is part of the Province of Canterbury. The diocesan bishop (Mike Harrison) is assisted by two suffragan bishops, the Bishop of Crediton and the Bishop of Plymouth. The See of Crediton was created in 1897 and the See of Plymouth in 1923.
History The Diocese of Crediton was created out of the Diocese of Sherborne in AD 909 to cover the area of Devon and Cornwall.Crediton Festival 2009 . Retrieved 5 June 2008. Crediton was chosen as the site for its cathedral, possibly due it having been the birthplace of Saint Boniface and also the existence of a monastery there.Exeter: Ecclesiastical History . Retrieved 5 June 2008.
In 1046, Leofric became the Bishop of Crediton: following his appointment he decided that the see should be moved to the larger, more culturally significant and defensible walled town of Exeter. In 1050, King Edward the Confessor authorised that Exeter was to be the seat of the bishop for Devon and Cornwall and that a cathedral was to be built there for the bishop's throne. Thus, Leofric became the last diocesan Bishop of Crediton and the first Bishop of Exeter.
The diocese remained unchanged until 1876, when the former Archdeaconry of Cornwall became the independent Diocese of Truro.
Organisation
Bishops The Bishop of Exeter is Mike Harrison; James Grier as Bishop suffragan of Plymouth; and Moira Astin as Bishop suffragan of Crediton. The provincial episcopal visitor (for parishes in this diocese – among twelve others in the western part of the Province of Canterbury – which do not accept the ordination of women as priests, since 1994) is the Bishop suffragan of Oswestry (for traditional Anglo-Catholics), and Rod Thomas, Bishop of Maidstone (for conservative evangelicals); they are licensed as honorary assistant bishops in the diocese.
There are three former bishops licensed as honorary assistant bishops in the diocese: 2005–present: Richard Hawkins, retired former Bishop suffragan of Plymouth and of Crediton, lives in Whipton. 2010–present: Martin Shaw, a retired former Bishop of Argyll and the Isles, lives in Exeter itself. 2018–present: Mark Rylands, former Bishop of Shrewsbury, lives in Ashburton
Archdeaconries and deaneries The diocese is divided into four archdeaconries. The Bishop suffragan of Crediton generally oversees the Archdeaconries of Barnstaple and Exeter and the Bishop suffragan of Plymouth the Archdeaconries of Plymouth and Totnes.
The following mergers of deaneries have taken place:
the deaneries of Tiverton and Cullompton merged in 2012 to form the deanery of Tiverton & Cullompton the deaneries of Devonport, Moorside and Sutton merged in 2015 to form the deanery of Plymouth City.
DioceseArchdeaconriesRural DeaneriesPaid clergyChurchesPopulationPeople/clergyPeople/churchChurches/clergyDiocese of ExeterArchdeaconry of Exeter (est. bef. 1083)Deanery of Aylesbeare112358,4715,3152,5422.09Deanery of Cadbury53623,4134,6836507.2Deanery of Christianity21*27*114,7815,4664,2511.29Deanery of Honiton113845,3244,1201,1933.45Deanery of Kenn52544,8348,9671,7935Deanery of Ottery5.82229,9115,1571,3603.79Deanery of Tiverton & Cullompton13.24051,3893,8931,2853.03Archdeaconry of Totnes (est. bef. 1140)Deanery of Moreton62124,3634,0611,1603.5Deanery of Newton Abbot & Ipplepen61952,2998,7172,7533.17Deanery of Okehampton52721,1084,2227825.4 Deanery of Torbay1823131,5397,3085,7191.28Deanery of Totnes112834,2373,1121,2232.55Deanery of Woodleigh83023,1162,8907713.75Archdeaconry of Barnstaple (est. bef. 1143)Deanery of Barnstaple152765,8044,3872,4371.8Deanery of Hartland52035,8827,1761,7944Deanery of Holsworthy42111,6762,9195565.25Deanery of Shirwell52311,4772,2954994.6Deanery of South Molton83115,7671,9715093.88Deanery of Torrington83217,8602,2335584Archdeaconry of Plymouth (est. 1918)Deanery of Ivybridge51022,7794,5562,2782Deanery of Plymouth City3342261,3827,9216,2231.27Deanery of Tavistock123031,5192,6271,0512.5Total/average2215951,128,931 5,108 1,8972.69 *including Cathedral
Coat of arms The arms of the diocese are Gules two keys in saltire Or a sword hilt downwards in pale Argent with hilt Or surmounted by a mitre. The charges are emblems of Saints Peter (keys) and Paul (sword) who are the patron saints of the cathedral.Exeter Diocese: Resources in "CCEd, the Clergy of the Church of England database" (Accessed online, 5 February 2014)
List of churches Last fully updated 5 October 2018.
Outside deanery structures BeneficeChurchesLinkClergyPopulation servedRefCathedral Cathedral Church of St Peter, Exeter Dean: Jonathan Greener Treasurer: Michael Williams Canon Residentiary: Becky Totterdell Precentor: James Mustard Chancellor: Christopher Palmer Priest Vicar: David Gunn-Johnson Priest Vicar: Ian Morter38
Deanery of Aylesbeare BeneficeChurchesLinkClergyPopulation servedRefAylesbeare (Blessed Virgin Mary), Clyst St George, Clyst St Mary, Farringdon, Woodbury with Exton, and Woodbury Salterton – White Cross Mission Community Blessed Virgin Mary, Aylesbeare St Mary, Clyst St Mary St George, Clyst St George SS Petrock & Barnabas, Farringdon Holy Trinity, Woodbury Salterton St Andrew, Exton St Swithun, Woodbury Vicar: Sidney Humphries Curate: Chris Cant6,443Broadclyst (St John the Baptist), Clyst Honiton, Pinhoe, Rockbeare and Sowton – Clyst Mission Community St John the Baptist, Broadclyst Holy Evangelist, Killerton (?) St Michael & All Angels, Clyst Honiton St Michael & All Angels, Pinhoe Pinhoe Hall Church SS Mary & Andrew, Rockbeare St Michael & All Angels, Sowton Team Rector: Elizabeth Slater Team Vicar: Bernard Lane8,600Budleigh Salterton (St Peter), East Budleigh with Bicton, and Otterton – Raleigh Mission Community St Peter, Budleigh Salterton All Saints, East Budleigh St Michael, Otterton Vicar: Martin Jacques Curate: Pennie Hartopp NSM: Karen Young6,901Littleham (St Margaret) with Lympstone – Littleham cum Exmouth with Lympstone Mission Community SS Margaret & Andrew, Littleham Holy Trinity, Exmouth Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Lympstone Team Rector: James Hutchings Team Vicar: Benedict Cambridge Curate: Huw Ryden NSM: Maureen Douglas NSM: Lesley Holman11,875Withycombe Raleigh (St John the Evangelist) (St John in the Wilderness) (All Saints) – Withycombe Raleigh Mission Community All Saints, Exmouth St John in the Wilderness, Exmouth St John the Evangelist, Withycombe Raleigh Team Rector: Robert Sellers Team Vicar: Stephen Hoyle24,562
Deanery of Cadbury BeneficeChurchesLinkClergyPopulation servedRefBow (St Bartholomew) with Broad Nymet St Bartholomew, Bow1 Rector/Vicar: Vacant2,083Colebrooke (St Andrew) St Andrew, Colebrooke1Zeal Monachorum (St Peter) St Peter, Zeal Monachorum1Brampford Speke (St Peter), Cadbury, Newton St Cyres, Poltimore, Rewe, Stoke Canon, Thorverton and Upton Pyne – Netherexe Mission Community St Peter, Brampford Speke St Michael & All Angels, Cadbury SS Cyr & Julitta, Newton St Cyres St Mary the Virgin, Huxham St Mary the Virgin, Poltimore St John the Baptist, Netherexe St Mary the Virgin, Rewe St Mary Magdalene, Stoke Canon St Thomas of Canterbury, Thorverton Our Lady, Upton Pyne Rector: Katie Cross NSM: Sue Sheppard4,226Crediton (Holy Cross) (St Lawrence) Shobrooke and Sandford with Upton Hellions – Crediton Mission Community Holy Cross & St Mary, Crediton Rector: Vacant Curate: Paul Fillery Curate: Helen Drever10,778 St Lawrence, Crediton St Luke, Posbury Holy Trinity, Yeoford Beacon Church, New Buildings St Swithin, Sandford St Mary the Virgin, Upton Hellions St Swithin, ShobrookeCreedy, North: Cheriton Fitzpaine, Woolfardisworthy, Kennerley, Washford Pyne, Puddington, Poughill, Stockleigh English, Morchard Bishop, Stockleigh Pomeroy, Down St Mary, Clannaborough, Lapford, Nymet Rowland, and Coldridge St Matthew, Cheriton Fitzpaine2 St Petrock, Clannaborough1 St Matthew, Coldridge1 St Mary the Virgin, Down St Mary1 St Boniface, Knowle1 St John the Baptist, Kennerleigh2 St Thomas of Canterbury, Lapford1 St Mary, Morchard Bishop1 St Bartholomew, Nymet Rowland1 St Michael & All Angels, Poughill2 St Thomas a Becket, Puddington2 St Mary the Virgin, Stockleigh English2 St Mary the Virgin, Stockleigh Pomeroy2 St Peter, Washford Pyne2 St Mary, Woolfardisworthy East2 Priest-in-Charge: Kingsley Cross Team Vicar: Lindsey Starrs6,326 1part of the North Creedy West Mission Community 2part of the North Creedy East Mission Community
Deanery of Christianity BeneficeChurchesLinkClergyPopulation servedRefAlphington (St Michael and All Angels), Shillingford St George and Ide – Alphington Mission Community St Michael & All Angels, Alphington Rector: Mike Partridge Curate: Helen Sherlock5,495 St Ida, Ide St George, Shillingford St GeorgeExeter (St David) (St Michael and All Angels) – Exeter St David Mission Community St David, Exeter Vicar: Nigel Guthrie Curate: Christopher Durrant Hon. Curate: Peter Lee10,845 St Michael & All Angels, Mount DinhamExeter (St James) – Exeter St James Mission Community St James, Exeter Rector: Henry Pryse9,127Exeter (St Leonard with Holy Trinity) – Exeter St Leonard Mission Community St Leonard, Exeter Rector: Simon Austen Assoc. Rector: Chris Keane Curate: Paul Sutton5,562Exeter (St Mark)1 St Mark, Exeter Priest-in-Charge: Tanya Hockley-Still12,496Exeter St Matthew with St Sidwell St Matthew, Exeter St Sidwell's Chapel Rector: Ed Hodges (from 22 July 2019)Whipton (St Boniface)1 St Boniface, Whipton Holy Trinity, Whipton Priest-in-Charge: John Byatt10,765Exeter Holy Trinity – Exeter Trinity Mission Community Trinity Church Exeter (2003) Vicar: Jonny Elvin Curate: Phill Brokenshire3,419Exeter, Central (St Martin) (St Mary Arches) (St Olave) (St Pancras) (St Petrock) (St Stephen) – Central Exeter Mission Community St Mary Arches, Exeter St Olave, Exeter St Pancras, Exeter St Petrock, Exeter St Stephen, Exeter Hon. Priest-in-Charge: Sheila Swarbrick937Exwick (St Andrew)2 St Andrew, Exwick Priest-in-Charge: Jeremy Bird6,057Exeter (St Thomas the Apostle) (Emmanuel) (St Andrew) (St Philip)2 St Thomas the Apostle, Exeter Team Rector: Dave Nixon Team Vicar: Charles Keay19,175Heavitree (St Michael and All Angels) (St Lawrence) and St Mary Steps – Heavitree Mission Community St Michael & All Angels, Heavitree St Mary Steps, Exeter St Lawrence, Heavitree Team Rector: Robin Eastoe Team Vicar: Jolyon Seward Curate: Alexander Hobbs NSM: Andrew Johnson23,246Topsham (St Margaret) and Wear – Topsham & Countess Wear Mission Community St Margaret, Topsham St Luke, Countess Wear Vicar: Louise Grace Curate: Peter Ingerslev NSM: Juliet Horwood7,619Exeter Network Church – Exeter Network Church Mission Community Exeter Network Church Minister (PTO): Jon SoperN/A 1part of the East Exeter Mission Community 2part of the West Exe Mission Community
Deanery of Honiton BeneficeChurchesLinkClergyPopulation servedRefAxminster (St Mary), Chardstock, All Saints, Combpyne with Rousdon and Membury – Axe Valley Mission Community St Mary, Axminster All Saints, All Saints Holy Cross, Woodbury St Andrew, Chardstock St Mary the Virgin, Combe Pyne St John the Baptist, Membury Team Rector: Vacant8,809Broadhembury (St Andrew the Apostle and Martyr), Dunkeswell, Luppitt, Plymtree, Sheldon, and Upottery – Dunkeswell Mission Community St Andrew, Apostle & Martyr, Broadhembury St Nicholas, Dunkeswell St Mary, Luppitt St John the Baptist, Plymtree St James the Greater, Sheldon St Mary the Virgin, Upottery Rector: John Hayhoe4,367Colyton (St Andrew), Musbury, Southleigh and Branscombe – Holyford Mission Community St Andrew, Colyton St Winifred, Branscombe St Michael, Colyford (1889) St Michael, Musbury