Bishop of Dorchester

This article is about the modern suffragan bishop. For the 7th century bishops in Wessex, see Bishop of Winchester. For the 9th–11th century bishops in Mercia, see Bishop of Lincoln.

The modern Bishop Suffragan of Dorchester in the Diocese of Oxford, usually contracted to Bishop of Dorchester, is an episcopal title used by an area bishop of the Church of England Diocese of Oxford, in the Province of Canterbury, England.[1] The Bishop of Dorchester, along with the Bishop of Buckingham and the Bishop of Reading, assists the Diocesan Bishop of Oxford in overseeing the diocese.

The title takes its name from the town of Dorchester-on-Thames in Oxfordshire, and was first used by the historic Bishops of Dorchester: at first for a West Saxon diocese (see Bishop of Winchester), and later for a Mercian diocese (see Bishop of Lincoln). Dorchester Abbey was built on the site of the ancient Cathedral. The suffragan See was erected by Order-in-Council (under the Suffragans Nomination Act 1888) on 2 February 1939.[2] The bishops suffragan of Dorchester have been area bishops since the Oxford area scheme was founded in 1984.[3]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference crockfords946 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ "No. 34596". The London Gazette. 7 February 1939. p. 835.
  3. ^ "4: The Dioceses Commission, 1978–2002" (PDF). Church of England. Retrieved 23 April 2013.