Anglican Diocese of Portsmouth
{{Short description|Diocese of the Church of England}}
{{For|the Catholic diocese|Roman Catholic Diocese of Portsmouth}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox diocese
| jurisdiction = Diocese
| image = Portsmouth-cathedral1.jpg
| image_size =
| caption = Portsmouth cathedral
| name = Portsmouth
| latin = Dioecesis Portus Magni
| coat = Diocese of Portsmouth arms.svg
| coat_size = 150px
| flag = Flag of the Anglican Diocese of Portsmouth.svg
| flag_size = 150px
| province = Canterbury
| parishes = 133
| churches = 173
| bishop = Jonathan Frost, Bishop of Portsmouth
| cathedral = Cathedral Church of St Thomas of Canterbury
| language = English
| archdeaconries = Portsdown, the Meon, Isle of Wight
| archdeacons = Steve Daughtery, Archdeacon of the Isle of Wight
Kathryn Percival, Archdeacon of the Meon
Archdeacon of Portsdown (vacant)
| website = {{URL|https://www.portsmouth.anglican.org/}}
|country=England|headquarters=Peninsular House, Portsmouth|denomination=Church of England}}
The Diocese of Portsmouth is an administrative division of the Church of England Province of Canterbury in England. The diocese covers south-east Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. The see is based in the City of Portsmouth in Hampshire, where the seat is located at the Cathedral Church of St Thomas of Canterbury.
Origin
The Diocese of Portsmouth was created on 1 May 1927{{London Gazette |issue=33269 |date=26 April 1927 |page=2672 }} under George V from the Diocese of Winchester. It consists of the three archdeaconries of:
- Portsdown (comprising the deaneries of Portsmouth and Havant);
- The Meon (comprising the deaneries of Fareham, Gosport, Petersfield and Bishop's Waltham);
- The Isle of Wight (comprising the deanery of the Isle of Wight).
Bishops
The Bishop of Portsmouth leads the diocese as one of three diocesan bishops in the Church of England not assisted by a suffragan bishop, the others being the Bishop of Hereford and the Bishop of Sodor and Man
Alternative episcopal oversight (for parishes in the diocese which do not accept the ordination of women as priests) is provided by the provincial episcopal visitor, the Bishop suffragan of Richborough. On 10 December 2024, it was announced that the next Bishop suffragan of Richborough, Luke Irvine-Capel, will be "based" in the diocese.{{cite web |title=New Bishop of Richborough |url=https://www.churchofengland.org/media/press-releases/new-bishop-richborough |website=Church of England |publisher=Church of England |access-date=10 December 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241210221429/https://www.churchofengland.org/media/press-releases/new-bishop-richborough |archive-date=10 December 2024 }} There are also two former bishops living in the diocese who are licensed as honorary assistant bishops:
- 2012–present: Timothy Bavin, oblate master at Alton Abbey, is a retired Bishop of Portsmouth who is licensed as an honorary assistant bishop in both Winchester (in which diocese the abbey lies) and Portsmouth dioceses.{{Who's Who
| title=Bavin, Timothy John
| id = U6834
| volume = 2014
| edition = December 2013 online
| access-date = 18 August 2014
}}
- 2012–present: John Hind, retired Bishop of Chichester, lives in Emsworth, Hampshire.{{Who's Who
| title=Hind, John William
| id = U10793
| volume = 2014
| edition = December 2013 online
| access-date = 18 August 2014
}}
Safeguarding
The Anglican Diocese of Portsmouth had a number of sexual abuse convictions in the 1980s and 1990s.{{cite news|last1=Fishwick|first1=Ben|title=Church admits failure over Portsmouth paedophile priest put children at risk|url=https://www.portsmouth.co.uk/news/crime/church-admits-failure-over-portsmouth-paedophile-priest-put-children-at-risk-1-6845276|access-date=11 July 2015|work=The News|date=11 July 2015}} Timothy Bavin was the Bishop between 1985 and 1995 and during this time a number of serious safeguarding issues took place. For example, Bavin did not report Fr Terry Knight to the police when parents raised their concerns to him in 1985. Knight was allowed to continue in his position until he was later convicted for sexually abusing boys in 1996 and again in 2016.{{cite news|last1=Cotterill|first1=Tom|title=Paedophile priest from Fratton admits to abusing boy, seven|url=https://www.portsmouth.co.uk/news/crime/paedophile-priest-from-fratton-admits-to-abusing-boy-seven-1-7730828|access-date=13 December 2016|work=The News|date=13 Dec 2016}} Bavin had also allowed a convicted paedophile Fr Michael Gover to resume working for the church on his release in 1990. Gover was convicted in 1985 at around the same time as parents raising their concerns about Knight.{{cite news|title=I was wrong, says bishop who let back paedophile|url=https://www.portsmouth.co.uk/news/i-was-wrong-says-bishop-who-let-back-paedophile-1-1260254|access-date=20 January 2004|work=The News|date=20 January 2004}} Bavin stood down in 1995 whilst Knight's police investigation and court case was taking place.[http://www.petersfield.uk.com/greatham.htm Dedicates church in his last year] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070214143449/http://www.petersfield.uk.com/greatham.htm |date=February 14, 2007 }}
Archdeaconries and deaneries
class="wikitable"
!Diocese !Archdeaconry !Deanery !Paid clergy !Churches !Population !People/clergy !People/church !Churches/clergy |
rowspan="7" |Diocese of Portsmouth
| rowspan="2" |Archdeaconry of Portsdown |Deanery of Havant |16 |26 |149,426 |9,339 |5,747 |1.63 |
Deanery of Portsmouth
|23* |26* |202,016 |8,783 |7,770 |1.13 |
Archdeaconry of the Isle of Wight
|Deanery of the Isle of Wight |21 |60 |138,259 |6,584 |2,304 |2.86 |
rowspan="4" |Archdeaconry of the Meon
|Deanery of Bishop's Waltham |7 |17 |28,844 |4,121 |1,697 |2.43 |
Deanery of Fareham
|14 |13 |117,854 |8,418 |9,066 |0.93 |
Deanery of Gosport
|8 |10 |82,625 |10,328 |8,263 |1.25 |
Deanery of Petersfield
|12 |20 |40,808 |3,401 |2,040 |1.67 |
colspan="3" |Total/average
|104 |170 |759,832 |7,306 |4,470 |1.63 |
{{clear}}
List of churches
= Not in a deanery =
class="wikitable sortable"
!Benefice !Church !Link !Founded (building) !Clergy |
Cathedral{{Cite web|url=https://www.crockford.org.uk/places/-228/st-thomas-of-canterbury|title=CATHEDRAL CHURCH OF ST THOMAS OF CANTERBURY|website=www.crockford.org.uk|language=en|access-date=2018-10-16}}
|Cathedral of St Thomas of Canterbury, Portsmouth |[https://www.portsmouthcathedral.org.uk/] |Medieval |4 |4,396 |
= Deanery of Havant =
= Deanery of Portsmouth =
= Deanery of the Isle of Wight =
class="wikitable"
!Benefice !Churches !Link !Clergy !Population served !Ref |
Chale (St Andrew)
| | | rowspan="4" |
| rowspan="4" |3,331 |
St Lawrence (Old Church) (St Lawrence)
| | |
Whitwell (St Mary and St Rhadegunde)
| | |
Niton (St John the Baptist)
| | |
rowspan="2" |Cowes (Holy Trinity) (St Mary the Virgin)
| | | rowspan="2" |
| rowspan="2" |5,835 |
*St Mary the Virgin, Cowes
|[http://www.stmaryschurchcowes.org.uk/] |
Gatten (St Paul)
| | | rowspan="2" |
| rowspan="2" |9,487 |
Sandown (Christ Church)
| |[http://www.christchurchsandown.org.uk/welcome.htm] |
Godshill (All Saints)
|
|[http://godshillparish.org.uk/] |
|3,631 |
Gurnard (All Saints) with Cowes St Faith
| |[http://www.gurnardchurch.org.uk/] | rowspan="2" |
| rowspan="2" |9,405 |
Northwood (St John the Baptist)
| | |
Lake (Good Shepherd)
| | | rowspan="2" |
| rowspan="2" |5,271 |
Shanklin (St Saviour On the Cliff)
| | |
Newport (St John the Baptist)
| |[https://www.stjohnsnewport.org/] |
|5,790 |
Newport (St Thomas)
| |[https://www.newportminster.org/] |
|5,666 |
Ryde (All Saints)
| |[http://www.rydeallsaints.org.uk/] | rowspan="2" |
| rowspan="2" |10,226 |
Swanmore (St Michael and All Angels)
| | |
Ryde (St James) Proprietary Chapel
| |[https://www.stjamesryde.com/] |
|N/A |
Ryde (St John the Baptist) Oakfield and Holy Trinity
| |[http://stjohnsryde.org.uk/] |
|10,501 |
Sandown, Lower (St John the Evangelist)
| | | rowspan="2" |
| rowspan="2" |6,189 |
Shanklin (St Blasius)
| |[http://www.st-blasius-church.org.uk/] |
Seaview (St Peter), St Helens, Brading and Yaverland
|
|[http://www.havenchurches.org.uk/] |
|6,148 |
Whippingham (St Mildred) with East Cowes
| |[http://whippinghameastcowes.org.uk/] |
|8,439 |
Wroxall (St John the Evangelist)
| |[http://www.stjohnswroxalliw.org.uk/] |
|1,724 |
= Deanery of Bishop's Waltham =
class="wikitable"
!width="425"|Benefice !Churches !Link !Clergy !Population served !Ref |
Bishop's Waltham (St Peter)
|
|[http://www.stpetersbishopswaltham.org.uk/] | rowspan="2" |
| rowspan="2" |7,324 |
Upham (All Saints) (Blessed Mary of Upham)
|
| |
Botley (All Saints)
|
| rowspan="3" |[http://www.bcd-churches.org.uk/] | rowspan="3" |
| rowspan="3" |6,371 |
Curdridge (St Peter)
|
|
Durley (Holy Cross)
|
|
Meon Bridge, Comprising Droxford, Exton, and Meonstoke with Corhampton
|
|[http://www.bridgechurches.org.uk/] |
|1,739 |
rowspan="2" |Shedfield (St John the Baptist) and Wickham
|
|[http://stjohnthebaptistshedfield.org.uk/] | rowspan="2" |
| rowspan="2" |6,308 |
* St Nicholas, Wickham
|[http://stnicholaswickham.org.uk/] |
rowspan="2" |Soberton (St Peter), Newtown and Hambledon
|
|[http://www.hambledonchurch.co.uk/] | rowspan="2" |
| rowspan="2" |2,715 |
* St Peter, Soberton
|[http://www.sobertonchurch.org.uk/] |
Southwick (St James) with Boarhunt
|
|[http://www.stjamessouthwick.org.uk/] |
|1,456 |
Swanmore (St Barnabas)
| |[http://www.stbarnabas.org.uk/] |
|2,931 |
= Deanery of Fareham =
class="wikitable"
!Benefice !Churches !Link !Clergy !Population served !Ref |
Crofton (Holy Rood) (St Edmund)
|
|[http://croftonparish.org.uk/] |
|14,947 |
Fareham (Holy Trinity) (St Columba)
|
|[http://www.htscf.org.uk/] |
|19,250 |
Fareham (St John the Evangelist)
|
|[http://www.stjohnsfareham.org.uk/] |
|9,746 |
Fareham (St Peter and St Paul)
|
|[http://sspeterandpaulfareham.org/] |
|14,251 |
Hook (St Mary) with Warsash
|
|[http://stmarywarsash.org.uk/] |
|9,843 |
Locks Heath (St John the Baptist)
|
|[http://stjohnslocksheath.org.uk/] |
|11,658 |
Portchester (St Mary)
|
|[http://www.stmary-portchester.org.uk/] |
|15,618 |
Sarisbury (St Paul)
|
|[http://stpauls-sarisbury.org.uk/] | rowspan="2" |
| rowspan="2" |12,585 |
Whiteley Conventional District
|
|[http://whiteleychurch.org.uk/] |
Titchfield (St Peter)
|
|[http://www.stpetertitchfield.org.uk/] |
|9,956 |
= Deanery of Gosport =
class="wikitable"
!Benefice !Churches !Link !Clergy !Population served !Ref |
Alverstoke (St Faith) (St Francis) (St Mary)
|
|[http://stmarysalverstoke.org.uk/] |
|16,532 |
Bridgemary (St Matthew)
|
| rowspan="2" |[http://www.thomatts.org/] | rowspan="2" |
| rowspan="2" |19,046 |
Elson (St Thomas)
|
|
Forton (St John the Evangelist)
|
|[https://fortonchurch.org/] |
|12,473 |
Gosport (Christ Church)
|
|[http://christchurchgosport.co.uk/] | rowspan="2" |
| rowspan="2" |8,399 |
Gosport (Holy Trinity)
| |[https://holytrinitygosport.co.uk/] |
Lee-On-The-Solent (St Faith)
|
|[http://stfaithslee.org/] |
|10,863 |
Rowner (St Mary the Virgin)
|
|[http://rownerparishchurch.org/] |
|15,312 |
= Deanery of Petersfield =
class="wikitable"
!Benefice !Churches !Link !Clergy !Population served !Ref |
Blackmoor (St Matthew) and Whitehill
| |[http://www.st-matthews.org/] | rowspan="2" |
| rowspan="2" |4,484 |
Greatham (St John the Baptist)
|
| |
Bramshott (St Mary the Virgin) and Liphook
|
|[http://www.liphookchurch.co.uk/] |
|8,514 |
Petersfield (St Peter)
| |[http://stpeterspetersfield.org.uk/] | rowspan="2" |
| rowspan="2" |11,125 |
Buriton (St Mary the Virgin)
|
|[http://www.stmarysburiton.co.uk/] |
Empshott (Holy Rood) and Hawkley with Priors Dean
|
| |
|525 |
Langrish (St John the Evangelist)
|
| | rowspan="3" |
| rowspan="3" |2,520 |
Meon, East (All Saints)
| | |
Meon, West (St John the Evangelist) and Warnford
|
| |
Liss (St Mary) (St Peter) (St Saviour)
|
|[http://lissparishchurch.org.uk/] |
|6,349 |
Sheet (St Mary Magdalene)
|
|[http://www.sheet.church/] |
|4,691 |
Steep (All Saints) and Froxfield with Privett
|
|[https://www.steepfroxfield.com/] |
|2,600 |
See also
References
{{reflist|30em}}
External links
- [https://www.portsmouth.anglican.org/ Diocesan website]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20050308001807/http://www.portsmouthcathedral.org.uk/cathedral.htm Portsmouth Cathedral]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20060112220823/http://portsmouthreaders.co.uk/ Portsmouth Readers' Board]
- [http://www.cofe.anglican.org/info/statistics/churchstatistics2002 Church of England Statistics 2002] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070203171913/http://www.cofe.anglican.org/info/statistics/churchstatistics2002 |date=3 February 2007 }}
{{Province of Canterbury}}
{{Diocese of Portsmouth}}
{{Provosts and Deans of Portsmouth}}
{{Archdeacons of Portsmouth}}
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{{authority control}}
Category:Christianity in Hampshire
Category:Christianity on the Isle of Wight