The Archdeacon of London is a senior ecclesiastical officer in the

Church of England The Church of England (C of E) is the State religion#State churches, established List of Christian denominations, Christian church in England and the Crown Dependencies. It is the mother church of the Anglicanism, Anglican Christian tradition, ...

. They are responsible for the eastern Archdeaconry (the Archdeaconry of London) of the Two Cities (

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

and

Westminster Westminster is the main settlement of the City of Westminster in Central London, Central London, England. It extends from the River Thames to Oxford Street and has many famous landmarks, including the Palace of Westminster, Buckingham Palace, ...

) in the

Diocese of London The Diocese of London forms part of the Church of England's Province of Canterbury in England. It lies directly north of the Thames, covering and all or part of 17 London boroughs. This corresponds almost exactly to the historic county of ...

, an area without

area bishop A suffragan bishop is a type of bishop in some Christian denominations. In the Catholic Church, a suffragan Bishops in the Catholic Church, bishop leads a diocese within an ecclesiastical province other than the principal diocese, the Metropolitan ...

and, rather, overseen by the diocesan

Bishop of London The bishop of London is the Ordinary (church officer), ordinary of the Church of England's Diocese of London in the Province of Canterbury. By custom the Bishop is also Dean of the Chapel Royal since 1723. The diocese covers of 17 boroughs o ...

. The immediate western counterpart in this area is the Archdeacon(ry) of Charing Cross. Since 1989, the churches of this supervisory cleric are the numerous remaining churches of the City of London. Those of the Archdeacon of Charing Cross are the relatively few churches, but much more heavily populated zone that is the City of Westminster.

History

Before the 20th century, the early medieval-founded London archdeaconry included parts of the East End as well as the

City of London The City of London, also known as ''the City'', is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county and Districts of England, local government district with City status in the United Kingdom, city status in England. It is the Old town, his ...

. The extent of the archdeaconry was reduced in 1912 (with the creation of the Archdeaconry of Hampstead) and in 1951 (with the creation of the Archdeaconry of Hackney) then latest boundary changes with the creation of the Archdeaconry of Charing Cross in 1989 saw the archdeaconry become coterminous with the limits of the

Archdeacons of Charing Cross

This archdeaconry, comprising the

City of Westminster The City of Westminster is a London borough with City status in the United Kingdom, city status in Greater London, England. It is the site of the United Kingdom's Houses of Parliament and much of the British government. It contains a large par ...

, was created shortly before Klyberg's appointment in June 1989. The archdeacon serves directly under the

, who takes direct responsibility for the Two Cities area since there is no

. On 16 June 2015, it was announced that from 1 January 2016 the Archdeacon of London would take responsibility for the whole Two Cities area; a part-time Associate Archdeacon would also work across both.Diocese of London — Archdeacons in the Two Cities
(Accessed 24 June 2015) Lain-Priestley was thus collated to the Charing Cross archdeaconry, and became known as the Archdeacon for the Two Cities.Diocese of London — Directory, Rosemary Lain-Priestley
(Accessed 29 July 2017) Lain-Priestley resigned this on 31 December 2018 to become an Adviser to the Bishop of London. As Archdeacon of Charing Cross since 2020, Atkinson was archdeacon full-time; in June 2023 it was announced that Atkinson was to become

Bishop of Bradwell The Bishop of Bradwell is an episcopal title used by an area bishop of the Church of England Diocese of Chelmsford, in the Province of Canterbury, England. The title takes its name after the town of Bradwell-on-Sea in Essex; the See was erected b ...

(an

in the

Diocese of Chelmsford The Diocese of Chelmsford is a Church of England diocese, part of the Province of Canterbury. It was created on 23 January 1914 from part of the Diocese of St Albans. It covers Essex and part of East London. Since 1984 it is divided into three ...

) from "autumn" 2023. On 8 January 2024, it was announced that

Katherine Hedderly Katherine (), also spelled Catherine and other variations, is a feminine given name. The name and its variants are popular in countries where large Christian populations exist, because of its associations with one of the earliest Christian sa ...

was to become Archdeacon of Charing Cross "after Easter"; she was duly collated 15 April 2024. &

List of archdeacons

High Medieval

*?–bef. 1096 (d.):

Edward Edward is an English male name. It is derived from the Anglo-Saxon name ''Ēadweard'', composed of the elements '' ēad'' "wealth, fortunate; prosperous" and '' weard'' "guardian, protector”. History The name Edward was very popular in Anglo-S ...

*bef. 1102–aft. 1114: ReingerReigner is not recorded with the title Archdeacon of London; rather the nature of his post can be deduced. *bef. 1127–aft. 1152: William de Beaumis (son of Richard de Beaumis) *bef. 1154–aft. 1157 (res.): Hugh de Mareni *bef. 1162–aft. 1189:

Nicholas Nicholas is a male name, the Anglophone version of an ancient Greek name in use since antiquity, and cognate with the modern Greek , . It originally derived from a combination of two Ancient Greek, Greek words meaning 'victory' and 'people'. In ...

*bef. 1192–aft. 1194: Peter de Waltham *bef. 1196–bef. 1199 (res.):

Alard de Burnham Alard may refer to: * Alard (surname) * Alard, son of Duke Aymon in the Matter of France * Alard, Iran, a village in Tehran Province * Alard, East Azerbaijan, a village in Iran * Alard Stradivarius (disambiguation), two violins ** Alard–Baron ...

*bef. 1202–bef. 1212 (d.):

Peter of Blois Peter of Blois (; French: ''Pierre de Blois''; ) was a French cleric, theologian, poet and diplomat. He is particularly noted for his corpus of Latin letters. Early life and education Peter of Blois was born about 1130. Earlier opinion tended t ...

*bef. 1213–bef. 1214:

Walter Walter may refer to: People and fictional characters * Walter (name), including a list of people and fictional and mythical characters with the given name or surname * Little Walter, American blues harmonica player Marion Walter Jacobs (1930–19 ...

*bef. 1214–aft. 1215:

Gilbert de Plesseto Gilbert may refer to: People and fictional characters *Gilbert (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters * Gilbert (surname), including a list of people Places Australia * Gilbert River (Queensland) * Gilbert River (South ...

*bef. 1217–aft. 1223:

William of Sainte-Mère-Eglise William is a masculine given name of Germanic origin. It became popular in England after the Norman conquest in 1066,All Things William"Meaning & Origin of the Name"/ref> and remained so throughout the Middle Ages and into the modern era. It is ...

*bef. 1225–bef. 1231 (res.):

Geoffrey de Lucy Geoffrey, Geoffroy, Geoff, etc., may refer to: People * Geoffrey (given name), including a list of people with the name Geoffrey or Geoffroy * Geoffroy (surname), including a list of people with the name * Geoffroy (musician) (born 1987), Canadia ...

*bef. 1229–aft. 1234:

William de Rising William is a masculine given name of Germanic origin. It became popular in England after the Norman conquest in 1066,All Things William"Meaning & Origin of the Name"/ref> and remained so throughout the Middle Ages and into the modern era. It is ...

*bef. 1235–aft. 1261 (res.):

Peter de Newport Peter may refer to: People * List of people named Peter, a list of people and fictional characters with the given name * Peter (given name) ** Saint Peter (died 60s), apostle of Jesus, leader of the early Christian Church * Peter (surname), a sur ...

*bef. 1263–aft. 1268 (res.):

John Chishull John Chishull or John de Chishull (died 1280) was Lord Chancellor of England, Bishop of London, and Lord High Treasurer during the 13th century. He also served as Dean of St Paul's. Life Chishull was made rector of St Mary's Church, the parish c ...

*bef. 1272–aft. 1275:

William Passemer William is a masculine given name of Germanic origin. It became popular in England after the Norman conquest in 1066,All Things William"Meaning & Origin of the Name"/ref> and remained so throughout the Middle Ages and into the modern era. It is ...

*bef. 1278–aft. 1280: Geoffrey de Mortuo Mari *bef. 1281–1282 (res.): Richard Swinefield *bef. 1285–aft. 1290: Robert de Ros *bef. 1294–aft. 1299:

Richard de Gravesend Richard is a male given name. It originates, via Old French, from Old Frankish and is a compound of the words descending from Proto-Germanic language">Proto-Germanic ''*rīk-'' 'ruler, leader, king' and ''*hardu-'' 'strong, brave, hardy', and i ...

Late Medieval

*bef. 1302–bef. 1308 (d.): John de Bedford *?–bef. 1305 (res.): John de Sancto Claro * Peter de Dene (disputed with Bedford) *1308–bef. 1320 (d.): Bego de Cavomonte *bef. 1309–bef. 1311 (d.): Reginald de Sancto Albano *1320–bef. 1323 (res.): Hélie de Talleyrand-Périgord *bef. 1321–bef. 1324: Richard de Aston *bef. 1323–bef. 1332 (d.): Pontius de Podio Barzaco *1332–aft. 1337: Itherius de Concoreto *13 September 1338–?:

Edmund Howard Lord Edmund Howard ( – 19 March 1539) was the third son of Thomas Howard, 2nd Duke of Norfolk, and his first wife, Elizabeth Tilney. His sister, Elizabeth, was the mother of Henry VIII's second wife, Anne Boleyn, and he was the father of the ...

*21 March 1339 – 1347 (res.):

John of Thoresby John of Thoresby (died 6 November 1373) was an English clergyman and politician, who was Bishop of St David's, then Bishop of Worcester and finally Archbishop of York. He was Lord Chancellor of England under King Edward III starting from 1349. ...

*bef. 1350–1354 (res.): Richard Kilvington *1354–?: Peter Cardinal du Cros (also Cardinal-priest of Santi Silvestro e Martino) *1354–9 February 1356 (exch.):

James de Beaufort James may refer to: People * James (given name) * James (surname) * James (musician), aka Faruq Mahfuz Anam James, (born 1964), Bollywood musician * James, brother of Jesus * King James (disambiguation), various kings named James * Prince James ...

*9 February 1356 – 1361 (res.):

John Barnet John Barnet (died 1373) was a Bishop of Worcester then Bishop of Bath and Wells then finally Bishop of Ely. Barnet was selected Bishop of Worcester about 16 December 1361, and consecrated on 20 March 1362. He was translated to the see of Bath ...

*15 October–October 1361 (d.):

Fortanerius Vassalli Fortanerius Vassalli (died October 1361) was an Italian Franciscan who became Minister General of the Order of Friars Minor, and a Cardinal (Catholicism), cardinal a few weeks before he died on the way to Avignon. He held a wide variety of eccles ...

(also

Patriarch of Grado The Patriarchate of Grado, also known as the Patriarchate of New Aquileia, was an episcopal see and ecclesiastical province in northeastern Italy, centered in Grado, on the northern coasts of the Adriatic Sea. It was created as a result of an in ...

) *26 March 1362–aft. 1372: Adam de Hertington *bef. 1383–bef. 1397 (d.): Thomas Baketon *10 February 1397 – 1400 (res.): Thomas Stowe *12 November 1400 – 1422 (res.): Reginald Kentwood *16 March 1422–bef. 1431 (res.):

John Snell Sir John Snell (1629 – 6 August 1679), founder of the Snell Exhibitions at the University of Oxford, was born in Ayrshire, Scotland, the son of a blacksmith. He attended the University of Glasgow from 1642 to 1644. He joined the royalists d ...

*28 January 1431 – 23 February 1443 (exch.): Richard Moresby *23 February 1443–bef. 1466 (d.): William Fallan *bef. 1469–1482 (res.): Richard Martyn (also

Archdeacon of Hereford The Archdeacon of Hereford is a senior ecclesiastical officer in the Church of England Diocese of Hereford. The archdeacon is the senior priest with responsibility over the area of the archdeaconry of Hereford. History The first recorded archdea ...

from bef. 1478 and

Archdeacon of Berkshire The Archdeacon of Berkshire (also rendered Archdeacon of Berks) is a senior ecclesiastical officer in the Church of England Diocese of Oxford. The archdeacon is the head of the archdeaconry of Berkshire, a post historically found within the dioce ...

from 1478; became

Bishop of St David's The Bishop of St Davids is the ordinary of the Church in Wales Diocese of St Davids. The succession of bishops stretches back to Saint David who in the 6th century established his seat in what is today the city of St Davids in ...

) *22 June 1482–bef. 1490 (res.): John de Gigliis *16 November 1490–bef. 1502 (res.): John Forster *3 September 1502–aft. 1510:

Pedro de Ayala Don Pedro de Ayala also Pedro López Ayala (died 31 January 1513) was a 16th-century Spanish diplomat employed by Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile at the courts of James IV of Scotland and Henry VII of England. His mission to S ...

*bef. 1510–bef. 1514 (res.): William Horsey *28 March 1514–bef. 1526 (d.):

John Young John Young most commonly refers to: *John Young (astronaut) (1930–2018), American astronaut * John Young, 1st Baron Lisgar (1807–1876), British diplomat and politician John Young may also refer to: Academics * John Young (professor of Greek) ...

, suffragan bishop (also

Dean of Chichester The Dean of Chichester is the dean of Chichester Cathedral in Sussex, England. Bishop Ralph is credited with the foundation of the current cathedral after the original structure built by Stigand was largely destroyed by fire in 1114. He did ...

from 1521) *29 March 1526–bef. 1529 (d.): Geoffrey Wharton *30 October 1529–bef. 1533 (exch.):

William Clyff William Cliffe, Clyffe or Clyff (died 1558) was an English churchman and lawyer, dean of Chester from 1547. Life Cliffe was educated at the University of Cambridge, where he graduated LL.B. in 1514. He was admitted advocate at Doctors' Commons o ...

*5 August 1533–bef. 1534 (res.):

Thomas Bedyll Thomas Bedyll (or Bedell)(died 1537) was a divine and royal servant. He was royal chaplain and clerk of the Privy Council of Henry VIII, assisting him with the separation from Rome. Biography Ecclesiastical career He was educated at New College, ...

*19 December 1534–July 1543 (d.):

Richard Gwent Dr Richard Gwent (died 1543) was a senior ecclesiastical jurist, pluralist cleric and administrator through the period of the Dissolution of the Monasteries under Henry VIII. Of south Welsh origins, as a Doctor of both laws in the University of ...

Early modern

*23 July–October 1543 (res.): Edward Moylle *29 October 1543 – 1554 (res.): John Wymmesley *27 April 1554 – 23 October 1559 (deprived):

John Harpsfield John Harpsfield (1516–1578) was an English Catholic controversialist and humanist. Origins Born about 31 May 1516 in the parish of St Mary Magdalen Old Fish Street, in the City of London, he was the elder brother of Nicholas Harpsfield, the t ...

(deprived; also

Dean of Norwich The Dean of Norwich is the head of the Chapter (religion), Chapter of Norwich Cathedral in Norwich, England. The current Dean is Andrew Jonathan Braddock, who took up the position in late January 2023. List of deans Early modern *1538–1539 ...

from 1558) *1559–bef. 1591 (d.): John Mullins *1 June 1591–bef. 1626 (d.): Theophilus Aylmer (son of John Aylmer) *23 February 1626 – 19 September 1662 (d.): Thomas Paske *11 October 1662–bef. 1664 (res.):

John Dolben John Dolben (1625-1686) was an English priest and Church of England bishop and archbishop. Life Early life He was the son of William Dolben (died 1631), prebendary of Lincoln and bishop-designate of Gloucester, and Elizabeth Williams, n ...

*27 May 1664 – 1676 (res.): Thomas Lamplugh (also

Dean of Rochester The Dean of Rochester is the head of the chapter of canons at Rochester Cathedral, the mother church of the Church of England Diocese of Rochester. The current dean is Philip Hesketh, who has served in that role since June 2016. List of deans ...

from 1673) *27 April 1677 – 1689 (res.):

Edward Stillingfleet Edward Stillingfleet (17 April 1635 – 27 March 1699) was an English Christian theologian and scholar. Considered an outstanding preacher as well as a strong polemical writer defending Anglicanism, Stillingfleet was known as "the beauty of ho ...

*1689–1691 (res.):

Thomas Tenison Thomas Tenison (29 September 163614 December 1715) was an English church leader, Archbishop of Canterbury from 1694 until his death. During his primacy, he crowned two British monarchs. Life He was born at Cottenham, Cambridgeshire, the son a ...

*1692–9 October 1731 (d.): William Stanley *23 October 1731 – 15 June 1742 (d.):

Robert Tyrwhit Robert Tyrwhit D.D. (1698 – 15 June 1742) was a Canon of Windsor from 1730 to 1742''Fasti Wyndesorienses'', May 1950. S.L. Ollard. Published by the Dean and Canons of St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle and Archdeacon of London from 1731 to 1742. ...

*12 July 1742 – 22 April 1764 (d.): Edward Cobden *24 April 1764 – 5 September 1770 (d.):

John Jortin John Jortin (23 October 1698 – 5 September 1770) was an English church historian. Life Jortin was the son of Renatus Jordain, a Breton Huguenot refugee and government official, and Martha Rogers, daughter of Daniel Rogers. He was educated ...

*29 September 1770 – 1775 (res.): Anthony Hamilton *22 February 1775 – 1789 (res.):

Richard Beadon Richard Beadon (15 April 1737 – 21 April 1824) was Master of Jesus College, Cambridge 1781–1789 and later Vice-Chancellor of the University, Bishop of Gloucester and Bishop of Bath and Wells. Life Beadon was born at Pinkworthy in Devon, so ...

*1789–bef. 1813 (res.):

William Bingham William Bingham (March 8, 1752February 7, 1804) was an American statesman from Philadelphia. He was a delegate for Pennsylvania to the Continental Congress from 1786 to 1788 and served in the United States Senate from 1795 to 1801. Bingham was o ...

*31 December 1813–bef. 1842 (res.): Joseph Pott *4 November 1842 – 27 November 1870 (d.): William Hale

Late modern

*March 187111 August 1884 (d.): Piers Claughton *18841889 (ret.):

Edwin Gifford Edwin Hamilton Gifford, DD (18 December 1820 – 4 May 1905) was an eminent Anglican priest, schoolmaster, and author of the second half of the 19th century. Edwin Gifford was educated at Shrewsbury and St John's College, Cambridge. He was ordai ...

*18891911 (res.): William Sinclair *19111930 (ret.):

Ernest Holmes Ernest Shurtleff Holmes (January 21, 1887 – April 7, 1960) was an American New Thought writer, teacher, and leader. He was the founder of a spiritual movement known as Religious Science, part of the greater New Thought movement, whose spi ...

*19301947 (ret.): Ernest Sharpe *19471961 (res.): Oswin Gibbs-Smith (afterwards

Dean of Winchester The Dean of Winchester is the head of the Chapter of Winchester Cathedral in the city of Winchester, England, in the Diocese of Winchester. Appointment is by the Crown. The first incumbent was the last Prior, William Kingsmill, Catherine Ogle ...

, 1961) *19621963 (res.):

George Appleton George Frederick Appleton, (20 February 1902 – 28 August 1993) was an Anglican bishop in the third quarter of the twentieth century and a writer. Life Born in Windsor, Berkshire to Thomas George Appleton and Lily Cock, Appleton was educated ...

*19631967 (res.): Martin Sullivan *19671978 (ret.): Sam Woodhouse (afterwards archdeacon emeritus) *197810 November 1986 (d.): Frank Harvey *19871999 (res.): George Cassidy *19992009 (ret.): Peter Delaney (afterwards archdeacon emeritus) *26 July 200931 July 2014 (ret.):

David Meara David Gwynne Meara, FSA (born 30 June 1947) is a British Anglican priest. From 2009 to 2014, he was Archdeacon of London in the Church of England. He is known as an authority on Victorian and modern monumental brasses. Early life and education Me ...

(afterwards archdeacon emeritus) * 11 September 201430 June 2015:

Nick Mercer Nicholas Stanley Mercer (born 25 December 1949) is a British Anglican priest who was the Vicar general for the Diocese of London from 2007 to 2017; he was additionally Archdeacon of London from 2014 until 2016. Early life and education Mercer wa ...

, Vicar General and acting archdeacon * 1 July 20156 January 2016: Nick Mercer, Vicar General * 1 January 2016present:

Luke Miller Luke Jonathan Miller (born 27 June 1966) is a Church of England priest. Since January 2016, he has been Archdeacon of London. From 2010 until 2015, he was Archdeacon of Hampstead in the Diocese of London. He is an executive officer of the Socie ...

(working across both archdeaconries)

Archdeacons of Charing Cross

*19891996 (ret.): John Klyberg, Bishop suffragan of Fulham (became a

Roman Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...

priest and prelate of honour) *199631 December 2014 (ret.): Bill Jacob *1 January 201631 December 2018 (res.): Rosemary Lain-Priestley, Associate Archdeacon / Archdeacon for the Two Cities (working across both archdeaconries) *20172019: Paul Thomas, Acting Archdeacon of Charing Cross *23 March 202029 September 2023:

Adam Atkinson Adam Atkinson (born 1967) is a British Anglican bishop. Since September 2023, he has been Bishop of Bradwell in the Church of England's Diocese of Chelmsford. From 2020 to 2023, he was Archdeacon of Charing Cross in the Diocese of London. Biogr ...

(became

) *15 April 2024present:

Notes

References

Sources

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:London, Archdeacons of Anglican ecclesiastical offices Lists of Anglicans Lists of English people Church of England