Trevor Willmott


Trevor Willmott is a British retired bishop in the Church of England. He served as Bishop of Basingstoke from 2002 to 2009 and then Bishop of Dover from 2010 until his retirement in 2019. In retirement, he remains bishop for the Channel Islands.

Early life and education

Willmott undertook an undergraduate degree at St Peter's College, Oxford. He studied for ordination at Fitzwilliam College and Westcott House, Cambridge.

Ordained ministry

Willmott was made a deacon at Petertide 1974, by John Hare, Bishop of Bedford, at St Mary's Church, Luton, and ordained a priest the Petertide following, by Robert Runcie, Bishop of St Albans, at St Albans Cathedral. He was a curate at St George's Church, Parish of Norton, Letchworth Garden City in the Diocese of St Albans from 1974 to 1977. From 1978 to 1979 he was assistant chaplain of Oslo with Trondheim before moving to become the chaplain of Naples with Capri, Bari and Sorrento from 1979 to 1983. He was also Officiating Chaplain to the British and American forces in Southern Europe from 1979 to 1983. All of these appointments were in the Diocese in Europe.
In 1983, Willmott returned to the United Kingdom as Rector of Ecton, Northamptonshire and warden of the Peterborough diocesan retreat house at Ecton House. In addition to these positions, he became Diocesan Director of Ordinands and of Post-Ordination Training in 1986. He became a Canon residentiary and precentor of Peterborough Cathedral in 1989 until 1997, when he became a canon residentiary of Durham Cathedral and Archdeacon of Durham.

Episcopal ministry

On 8 May 2002, Willmott was consecrated a bishop by George Carey, Archbishop of Canterbury, at Southwark Cathedral. He succeeded Geoffrey Rowell as Bishop suffragan of Basingstoke following Rowell's appointment as Bishop in Europe. He was installed as the Bishop of Basingstoke on 11 May 2002 at Winchester Cathedral. In 2010, he was translated to Dover: the Bishop suffragan of Dover is legally delegated full responsibility for the Diocese of Canterbury, acting as diocesan bishop in place of the Archbishop of Canterbury ; Willmott was installed as the Bishop of Dover on 6 February 2010 at Canterbury Cathedral.
In January 2014, in an interim arrangement, Willmott was appointed to oversight of the Channel Islands following a breakdown of relations with the Bishop of Winchester over the handling of alleged abuse. Willmott retired on 12 May 2019. In retirement, Willmott retains oversight of the Channel Islands and his commission as an honorary assistant bishop of the Diocese of Winchester.

Styles