Diocese of Canterbury


The Diocese 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.
The Report of the Commissioners appointed by his Majesty to inquire into the Ecclesiatical Revenues of England and Wales noted the net annual revenue for the Canterbury see was £19,182. This made it the wealthiest diocese in England.

Bishops

The diocesan bishop is the Archbishop of Canterbury, presently Justin Welby. However, because of his roles as metropolitan bishop of the Province of Canterbury, Primate of All England and "first bishop" of the worldwide Anglican Communion, the archbishop is often away from the diocese. Therefore, his suffragan bishop, the Bishop of Dover, is in many ways empowered to act almost as if she were the diocesan bishop.
The province had from 1944–2009 a second locally focussed suffragan bishop, the Bishop of Maidstone, discontinued November 2010. Three suffragans have nominal sees in the diocese — the Bishops of Ebbsfleet, Richborough and Maidstone 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 is provided by the provincial episcopal visitor, the Bishop suffragan of Richborough, Norman Banks. There are three honorary assistant bishops licensed in the diocese:
For organisational purposes, the diocese is divided into three archdeaconries, containing a total of fifteen deaneries:
DioceseArchdeaconriesRural Deaneries
Diocese of CanterburyArchdeaconry of CanterburyDeanery of Canterbury
Diocese of CanterburyArchdeaconry of CanterburyDeanery of East Bridge
Diocese of CanterburyArchdeaconry of CanterburyDeanery of Reculver
Diocese of CanterburyArchdeaconry of CanterburyDeanery of Thanet
Diocese of CanterburyArchdeaconry of CanterburyDeanery of West Bridge
Diocese of CanterburyArchdeaconry of AshfordDeanery of Ashford
Diocese of CanterburyArchdeaconry of AshfordDeanery of Dover
Diocese of CanterburyArchdeaconry of AshfordDeanery of Elham
Diocese of CanterburyArchdeaconry of AshfordDeanery of Romney and Tenterden
Diocese of CanterburyArchdeaconry of AshfordDeanery of Sandwich
Diocese of CanterburyArchdeaconry of MaidstoneDeanery of Maidstone
Diocese of CanterburyArchdeaconry of MaidstoneDeanery of North Downs
Diocese of CanterburyArchdeaconry of MaidstoneDeanery of Ospringe
Diocese of CanterburyArchdeaconry of MaidstoneDeanery of Sittingbourne
Diocese of CanterburyArchdeaconry of MaidstoneDeanery of Weald