Diocese of Peterborough Dioecesis Petroburgensis | |
|---|---|
 Diocesan logo | |
 Coat of arms | |
| Location | |
| Ecclesiastical province | Canterbury |
| Archdeaconries | Northampton,Oakham |
| Statistics | |
| Parishes | 352 |
| Churches | 386 |
| Information | |
| Cathedral | Peterborough Cathedral |
| Language | English |
| Current leadership | |
| Bishop | Debbie Sellin |
| Suffragan | Bishop of Brixworth (vacant) |
| Archdeacons | Richard Ormston,Archdeacon of Northampton Alison Booker,Archdeacon of Oakham |
| Website | |
| peterborough-diocese.org.uk | |
TheDiocese of Peterborough forms part of theProvince of Canterbury inEngland. Its seat is theCathedral Church ofSaint Peter,Saint Paul andSaint Andrew, which was founded as amonastery in AD 655 and re-built in its present form between 1118 and 1238.
Founded at theDissolution of the Monasteries in 1541 (it was until then part of theDiocese of Lincoln), the Diocese covers the areas of:
From 1839 till 1927 the Peterborough diocese covered the territory of theArchdeaconry of Leicester which is now the (modern)Diocese of Leicester.[1]
Peterborough Abbey became a cathedral at theReformation, one of six wholly new bishoprics founded underHenry VIII. On 4 September 1541letters patent were issued converting the abbey church of Peterborough into a cathedral church, with a dean and chapter and ecclesiastical staff. The last abbot,John Chambers, was consecrated in his former abbey church on 23 October 1541 as the first Bishop of Peterborough.
A link with theAnglican Church of Kenya Diocese of Bungoma was formed by the two bishops following theLambeth Conference in 1998.
In 1851 the diocese comprised the following rural deaneries:[2]
The Diocese is divided into twoArchdeaconries:
The parts of the City ofPeterborough that are south of theRiver Nene, and so were in thehistoric county ofHuntingdonshire rather than the Soke of Peterborough, fall within theDiocese of Ely. The previousBishop of Peterborough was commissioned asAssistant Bishop in the Ely Diocese so he could exercise pastoral care in these parishes, which includeStanground,Orton,Woodston,Yaxley andFletton.[3][4][5]Thorney, historically in the Isle of Ely and now within the boundaries of the Peterborough unitary authority area, is unaffected by this arrangement.[6]
The Bishop of Peterborough (Debbie Sellin) leads the diocese, and is assisted by theBishop suffragan of Brixworth (vacant). The suffragan see of Brixworth was created by Order in Council on 26 July 1988.[7]
Alternative episcopal oversight (for parishes in the diocese which reject the ministry of priests who are women) is provided by theprovincial episcopal visitor,Luke Irvine-Capel,Bishop suffragan of Richborough, who is licensed as an honorary assistant bishop of the diocese in order to facilitate his work there. There is also one former bishop,Ed Condry, living in the diocese who is licensed as honorary assistant bishop.[8]
The diocese comprises the areas of Northamptonshire, Rutland and Peterborough with the following exceptions (clockwise from Stamford):
| Period | Additions | Closures | Total at end |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medieval | [391 medieval churches] | 391 | |
| C13th | Sibson | 390 | |
| C14th | Chapel Brampton?, Churchfield?, Gunthorpe?, Hale, Onley?, Northampton St Thomas? | 384 | |
| C15th | Blatherwycke St Mary Magdalene, Elkington, Glendon, Horn, Northampton St Bartholomew, Northampton St Martin, Sibberton, Sulby, Washingley | 375 | |
| Reformation/C16th | Peterborough Cathedral | Barleythorpe?, Barrow?, Great Newton, Hartwell, Irthlingborough All SS, Maidwell St Peter, Nobold, Northampton St Edmund, Northampton St Gregory, Northampton St Katherine, Northampton St Margaret, Northampton St Mary, Northampton St Michael, Pipewell, Shutlanger, Stuchbury, Thrupp, Upper Catesby, Walton | 357 |
| C17th | Lower Catesby | Barford, Halse, Kirby, Martinsthorpe, Pickworth, Wick Hamon | 352 |
| C18th | Ashton | Boughton Old, Lilford, Rushton St Peter | 350 |
| 1820s | Pickworth | 351 | |
| 1830s | Daventry St James, Newborough, Northampton St Katherine | Brackley St James | 353 |
| 1840s | Hollowell, Northampton St Andrew | 355 | |
| 1850s | Deanshanger, Hartwell, Little Brington, Northampton St Edmund, Peterborough St Mark, Upper Stowe | 361 | |
| 1860s | Kettering St Andrew, Northampton St James, Peterborough St Mary, Peterborough St Paul, Wellingborough All SS, Yardley Gobion | 367 | |
| 1870s | Long Buckby Wharf, Northampton St Lawrence, Northampton St Mary, Northampton St Paul, Peterborough St Michael, Wellingborough St Barnabas | 373 | |
| 1880s | New Duston, Northampton St Crispin, Northampton St Michael, Peterborough St James, Pipewell, Shutlanger | 379 | |
| 1890s | Caldecote?, Kettering All SS, Kettering St Mary, Northampton St Gabriel, Northampton St Matthew, Peterborough All SS, Peterborough St Barnabas | 386 | |
| 1900s | Halse, Kettering St John?, Kettering St Michael, Northampton Christ Ch, Peterborough St Luke, Rushden St Peter, Wellingborough St Mary | 393 | |
| 1910s | Northampton Trinity | 394 | |
| 1920s | Northampton St Crispin, Northampton St Gabriel | 392 | |
| 1930s | Northampton St Alban, Wellingborough St Andrew | Canons Ashby?, Faxton | 392 |
| 1940s | Corby St Columba, Northampton St David | Little Brington | 393 |
| 1950s | Northampton St Augustine, Peterborough Christ the Carpenter | Ashton?, Clay Coton, Deene?, Northampton St Katherine, Plumpton? | 390 |
| 1960s | Corby SS Peter & Andrew, Kettering Christ the King, Northampton St Francis, Northampton St Mark, Peterborough St Jude, Wellingborough St Mark | Daventry St James, Long Buckby Wharf, New Duston?, Orton, Peterborough St James | 391 |
| 1970s | Corby Epiphany?, Corby Kingswood?, Northampton Emmanuel, Peterborough Holy Spirit | Aldwincle All SS, Holdenby, Blatherwycke Trinity, Burley, Little Newton, Little Oakley, Normanton, Northampton St Andrew, Northampton St Lawrence?, Northampton St Paul?, Preston Deanery, Wakerley | 383 |
| 1980s | Northampton St Benedict, Peterborough Emmanuel | Furtho, Northampton St Edmund, Peterborough St Michael, Upton | 381 |
| 1990s | Northampton Boothville, Northampton Rectory Farm, Rushden Whitefriars, Wellingborough North | Cranford St Andrew, Northampton St Peter | 383 |
| 2000s | Northampton Grange Park | Corby Kingswood? | 383 |
| 2010s | Mawsley | Ayston, Corby Epiphany, Horton, Tickencote, Ufford, Wardley | 378 |
| 2020s | Northampton Upton | 379 |
Chapels are initalics. See alsoList of civil parishes in Northamptonshire#Medieval parishes.
| Benefice | Population | Churches | Clergy (Oct 2025) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corby SS Peter & Andrew // Great and Little Oakley | 31,579 | 2 | 1 Joint Priest-in-Charge |
| Kettering SS Peter & Paul // Kettering All Saints | 30,706 | 3 | Vacant, 1 Joint Curate, 1 Joint NSM |
| Northampton Emmanuel | 29,995 | 3 | 1 Team Rector, 1 Curate, 1 Hon. Curate |
| Daventry | 28,104 | 1 | 1 Rector |
| Northampton Duston and Upton | 26,035 | 3 | 1 Team Rector |
| Northampton Kingsthorpe | 23,929 | 3 | 1 Team Rector, 1 Team Vicar, 1 NSM |
| Northampton St Benedict | 19,176 | 1 | 1 Vicar |
| Corby St Columba and the Northern Saints | 18,667 | 1 | 1 Vicar |
| Peterborough Paston | 18,252 | 1 | 1 Rector, 1 NSM |
| Oakham | 17,635 | 10 | 2 Team Vicars, 1 NSM |
| Northampton Christ Church St Michael | 16,513 | 2 | 1 Vicar, 2.5 NSMs |
| Peterborough St Mary | 16,491 | 1 | 1 Vicar |
| Brackley | 16,326 | 2 | 1 Vicar, 1 Curate |
| Northampton St Mary // Living Brook | 16,317 | 4 | 1 Joint Vicar/Priest-in-Charge, 1 Joint Hon. Curate, 1 Hon. Curate |
| Wellingborough All Hallows // Wellingborough All SS | 15,905 | 2 | 1 Joint Vicar, 1 Joint Curate |
| Corby St John // Gretton, Rockingh, Cottingh, E Carlton | 15,432 | 5 | 1 Joint Rector/Priest-in-Charge, 1 Joint Curate |
| Northampton Billing | 15,261 | 2 | 1 Rector |
| Northampton Wootton | 14,550 | 2 | 1 Priest-in-Charge, 1 Curate, 1 Minister |
| Four Spires | 14,027 | 4 | 1 Rector |
| Northampton Dallington and St James | 13,783 | 2 | 1 Vicar |
| Peterborough Bretton | 13,573 | 1 | 1 Vicar |
| Tove | 13,393 | 5 | 1 Vicar, 2 Curates |
| Wellingborough St Andrew St Barnabas | 12,885 | 2 | 1 Vicar, 1 NSM |
| Desborough, Brampton Ash, Dingley and Braybrooke | 12,569 | 4 | 1 Rector, 1 Curate |
| Peterborough Werrington | 12,127 | 2 | 1 Vicar, 2 Curates, 1 NSM |
| Nene Crossings | 12,082 | 4 | 1 Rector, 2 Curates |
| Northampton St Alban | 11,882 | 1 | Vacant, 1 Curate |
| Peterborough Christ the Carpenter | 11,532 | 1 | 1 Vicar |
| Rushden St Mary with Newton Bromswold | 11,456 | 2 | 1 Rector, 1 Hon. Curate |
| Kettering St Mary (underBishop of Richborough) | 10,848 | 2 | 1 Priest-in-Charge |
| Rushden Whitefriars | 10,783 | 1 | Vacant |
| Burton Latimer | 10,551 | 1 | 1 Rector |
| Northampton Holy Trinity and St Paul | 10,371 | 1 | 1 Vicar, 0.5 NSM |
| Eye, Newborough and Thorney | 10,101 | 3 | 1 Vicar |
| Peterborough All Saints | 9,947 | 1 | 1 Vicar |
| Tresham | 9,881 | 5 | 1 Rector |
| Wellingborough St Mark | 9,507 | 1 | Vacant |
| Higham Ferrers and Chelveston | 9,454 | 2 | 1 Vicar |
| Rushden St Peter | 9,387 | 1 | Vacant |
| Northampton All Saints Holy Sepulchre (AS isB of R) | 9,067 | 2 | 1 Rector, 1 Curate |
| Peterborough St Mark | 9,053 | 1 | 1 Priest-in-Charge |
| Peterborough St Jude | 9,035 | 1 | 1 Priest-in-Charge, 1 Hon. Curate |
| Barton Seagrave with Warkton (Bishop of Ebbsfleet) | 8,737 | 2 | 1 Rector, 1 Curate |
| Salcey | 8,660 | 5 | 1 Priest-in-Charge |
| Peterborough St Paul | 8,649 | 1 | 1 Vicar |
| Thrapston, Denford and Islip | 8,328 | 3 | 1 Rector, 1 Curate |
| Northampton Weston Favell | 8,089 | 1 | 1 Rector, 3 NSMs |
| Bugbrooke, Harpole, Kislingbury & Rothersthorpe | 7,923 | 4 | Vacant |
| Peterborough St John the Baptist | 7,796 | 2 | 1 Vicar, 2 Curates |
| Moulton (underBishop of Ebbsfleet) | 7,779 | 1 | 1 Vicar, 1 Curate |
| Northampton Abington | 7,667 | 1 | 1 Rector, 1 Curate |
| Northampton St Matthew | 7,635 | 1 | 1 Vicar |
| Oundle with Ashton and Benefield with Glapthorn | 7,137 | 3 | 1 Rector, 1 Curate |
| Five Ways | 7,040 | 5 | 1 Rector |
| Weldon with Deene | 7,005 | 1 | 1 Rector, 1 Curate, 1 NSM |
| Long Buckby w Watford & West Haddon w Winwick | 6,899 | 4 | 1 Vicar |
| Kettering St Andrew | 6,637 | 1 | 1 Vicar, 1 Curate |
| Chenderit | 6,631 | 8 | 1 Rector |
| Passenham with Old Stratford with Deanshanger | 6,542 | 2 | 1 Rector |
| Wellingborough North | 6,525 | 1 | 1 Vicar, 2 Curates |
| Wellingborough St Mary the Virgin (Bp of Richborough) | 6,366 | 1 | 1 Vicar |
| Earls Barton | 6,361 | 1 | 1 Vicar, 1 NSM |
| Cottesmore | 6,317 | 6 | 1 Vicar, 1 Curate |
| Kettering Christ the King | 6,281 | 1 | Vacant, 1 Curate |
| Brixworth with Holcot | 6,181 | 2 | 1 Vicar |
| Barnack and District | 5,797 | 4 | 1 Vicar |
| Wollaston with Strixton & Bozeat & Easton Maudit | 5,749 | 4 | Vacant, 1 Curate |
| Uppingham | 5,174 | 2 | Vacant |
| Broughton with Cransley and Mawsley | 5,091 | 3 | 1 Rector, 1 Curate |
| Harpers Brook | 4,992 | 4 | 1 Rector |
| Whittlewood | 4,946 | 5 | 1 Rector |
| Nine Bridges | 4,925 | 5 | 1 Vicar |
| Irchester with Stanton Cross | 4,911 | 1 | 1 Vicar |
| Northampton King's Heath | 4,726 | 1 | 1 Vicar |
| Northampton St Giles | 4,603 | 1 | 1 Vicar |
| Finedon | 4,536 | 1 | 1 Vicar |
| Great Doddington and Wilby and Ecton | 4,183 | 3 | 1 Rector |
| Uplands | 4,165 | 8 | 1 Rector, 2 Curates, 2 NSMs |
| Rutland Water | 4,015 | 10 | Vacant |
| South Cleley | 3,922 | 4 | Vacant (since 2020) |
| Spencer | 3,857 | 6 | 1 Rector, 1 Curate, 1 NSM |
| Crick & Yelvertoft w Clay Coton & Lilbourne | 3,772 | 3 | Vacant |
| The Harrowdens & Orlingbury & Isham with Pytchley | 3,762 | 5 | Vacant |
| King's Cliffe | 3,633 | 5 | 1 Vicar |
| Grand Union | 3,603 | 6 | 1 Rector, 1 NSM |
| Heyford w Stowe IX Churches & Flore w Brockhall | 3,513 | 5 | 1 Rector |
| Naseby | 3,509 | 7 | 1 Rector, 1 NSM |
| Weedon Bec with Everdon and Dodford | 3,418 | 3 | Vacant |
| Peterborough Longthorpe | 3,373 | 1 | 1 Vicar, 1 Curate |
| Wymersley | 3,202 | 4 | 1 Rector, 1 NSM |
| Astwick Vale | 3,048 | 6 | 1 Rector |
| Pitsford with Boughton | 3,022 | 2 | 1 Rector |
| King's Sutton, Newbottle, Charlton (Bp of Richborough) | 2,858 | 2 | 1 Vicar |
| Watersmete | 2,793 | 6 | 1 Vicar |
| Ketton and Tinwell | 2,754 | 2 | Vacant |
| Astwell | 2,689 | 6 | 1 Rector |
| Mears Ashby | 2,723 | 4 | 1 Rector |
| Amelcote | 2,652 | 4 | 1 Rector |
| Gwash and Glen | 2,625 | 3 | Vacant (since 2022) |
| Braunston, Ashby St Ledgers and Welton | 2,566 | 3 | 1 Rector |
| Barby and Kilsby | 2,417 | 2 | 1 Rector |
| Castor | 2,397 | 6 | Vacant, 1 Curate |
| Yardley Hastings | 2,212 | 5 | Vacant |
| Walgrave | 1,970 | 4 | 1 Rector |
| Great and Little Casterton, Tickencote and Pickworth | 1,949 | 3 | 1 Priest-in-Charge |
| Geddington with Weekley | 1,786 | 2 | 1 Priest-in-Charge, 1 NSM |
| Knightley | 1,741 | 5 | Vacant |
| Warmington | 1,704 | 5 | 1 Vicar |
| Welland Fosse | 1,701 | 5 | 1 Rector |
| Faxton | 1,693 | 7 | 1 Curate |
| Seven Churches | 1,641 | 7 | Vacant (since 2021) |
| Lyddington | 1,604 | 7 | 1 Vicar |
| Stoke Albany, Wilbarston, Ashley, Weston-by-W, Sutton B | 1,536 | 5 | 1 Priest-in-Charge, 1 Curate (both also Curates in Gretton benef.) |
| Lambfold | 1,522 | 5 | 1 Rector |
| Culworth | 1,406 | 4 | Vacant |
| Barnwell, Hemingt, Luddingt, Lutton, Polebrook,Thurning | 1,308 | 7 | Vacant (since 2022) |
| Staverton, Hellidon and Catesby | 743 | 3 | 1 Rector |
| Cranford, Grafton Underwood and Twywell // Slipton | 742 | 4 | 1 Joint Priest-in-Charge |
| [Peterborough Cathedral | 246 | 1 | 1 Dean, 2 Canons Residentiary] |
There are a total of 118 benefices (counting multiple benefices held simultaneously by the same cleric as one).
| Deanery | Population | Churches | Clergy (Oct 2025) | Popn. per stip. cl. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greater Northampton | 247,378 | 32 | 7 Rectors, 10 Vicars, 1 P-in-Ch, 1 Minister, 6 Curates, 7 NSMs, 3 Hon. Curates | 9,895 |
| Peterborough | 143,048 | 31 | 1 Rector, 11 Vicars, 2 Priests-in-Charge, 6 Curates, 2 NSMs, 1 Hon. Curate | 7,152 |
| Kettering | 103,829 | 28 | 5 Rectors, 1 Vicar, 3 Priests-in-Charge, 6 Curates, 2 NSMs | 6,922 |
| Wellingborough | 84,291 | 34 | 3 Rectors, 6 Vicars, 4 Curates, 3 NSMs | 6,484 |
| Corby | 79,211 | 18 | 3 Rectors, 1 Vicar, 2 Priests-in-Charge, 3 Curates, 1 NSM | 8,801 |
| Higham | 71,725 | 16 | 3 Rectors, 2 Vicars, 2 Curates, 1 Hon. Curate | 10,246 |
| Daventry | 50,433 | 26 | 5 Rectors | 10,087 |
| Towcester | 45,240 | 36 | 5 Rectors, 1 Vicar, 1 Priest-in-Charge, 2 Curates, 1 NSM | 5,027 |
| Rutland | 43,774 | 48 | 1 Rector, 4 Vicars, 1 Priest-in-Charge, 1 Curate, 1 NSM | 6,253 |
| Brackley | 39,998 | 33 | 4 Rectors, 2 Vicars, 1 Curate | 5,714 |
| Brixworth | 35,068 | 43 | 5 Rectors, 2 Vicars, 4 Curates, 4 NSMs | 3,188 |
| Oundle | 26,544 | 36 | 2 Rectors, 3 Vicars, 2 Curates | 3,792 |
| Totals | 970,539 | 381 | 135 stipendiary clergy, 26 non-stipendiary | average: 7,189 |
| Archdeaconry | Population | Churches | Clergy (Nov 2025) | Popn. per stip. cl. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northampton | 502,408 | 204 | 70 stipendiary, 18 non-stipendiary | 7,177 |
| Oakham | 468,131 | 177 | 65 stipendiary, 8 non-stipendiary | 7,202 |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
52°34′21″N0°14′20″W / 52.57250°N 0.23889°W /52.57250; -0.23889
