Archdeacon of Wells

The Archdeacon of Wells is a senior clergy position in the Church of England Diocese of Bath and Wells. The post, having oversight over the archdeaconry of Wells in Somerset has existed since the twelfth century.

List of archdeacons

High Medieval Archdeacons without territorial titles: bef. 1086–aft. 1088: Benselin, Archdeacon of Exon bef. 1106–aft. 1106: Walkerius[N 1] bef. 1106–aft. 1106: Robert[N 1] bef. 1120–aft. 1136: Arald[N 2] bef. 1122–bef. 1136: John de Bada (son of Hildebert)[N 3] Archdeacons of Wells: bef. 1142–aft. 1151: Eustace bef. 1159–aft. 1166: Robert bef. 1168–aft. 1194: Thomas of Earley (Erlegh) alias Agnellus bef. 1198–aft. 1199: Simon of Wells (later Bishop of Chichester) bef. 1204–1209 (res.): Hugh of Wells (became Bishop of Lincoln) bef. 1215–aft. 1231: William of Bardney bef. 1238–1248 (res.): William of Bitton (uncle; became Bishop of Bath and Wells) aft. 1248–bef. 1249 (res.): John of Bitton bef. 1249–aft. 1254: Peter Chaceporc bef. 1263–1267 (res.): William of Bitton (nephew) (became Bishop of Bath and Wells) 1267–1268 (res.): Godfrey Giffard (also Archdeacon of Barnstaple until May 1267; also Archdeacon of York from 1267; became Bishop of Worcester) bef. 1269–aft. 1269: S. (i.e. either Simon de Micham or Stephen of Chichester) bef. 1270–1284 (res.): Thomas Bytton (became Dean of Wells) bef. 1286–aft. 1295: Walter Haselshaw (later Dean of Wells) bef. 1295–24 January 1303 (d.): Peter de Insula (previously Archdeacon of Exeter) Late Medieval aft. 1303–24 May 1326 (res.): Thomas de Charlton 24 May–13 June 1326 (exch.): Wibert de Lutleton 13 June 1326–bef. 1334: Robert de Wamberg (bishop's candidate; admitted but disputed by king's candidates) 29 June 1329–1330: Simon de Montacute (royal grant; never admitted) 15 October 1330–1332: Thomas Upton (royal grant; never admitted) bef. 1334–aft. 1336: Robert Mortimer bef. 1344–aft. 1344: Hugh bef. 1346–1352 (res.): Thomas Fastolf (became Bishop of St David's) 3 January 1353–12 June 1361 (d.): William de Court OCist 27 October 1361–bef. 1369 (res.): Étienne Cardinal Aubert (Cardinal-deacon of Santa Maria in Aquiro) 21 February 1369–22 July 1376 (d.): Simon Cardinal Langham OSB (former Archbishop of Canterbury; cardinal-priest of San Sisto Vecchio until 1373, then Cardinal-Bishop of Palestrina; also Archdeacon of York from 1374) bef. 1385–aft. 1388: Andrew Baret 1386–aft. 1391: John de Rypon (royal grant) 13 September 1388: John Beer (unsuccessful royal grant) 6 June 1391: Thomas Tuttebury (unsuccessful royal grant; became Dean of Wells) 28 August 1391–4 May 1398 (exch.): Nicholas Slake 4 May 1398–bef. 1419 (d.): John Ikelyngton 13 April 1419–bef. 1449 (d.): Thomas Bubwith 15 April 1450–1 April 1470 (d.): Andrew Holes bef. 1471–bef. 1473 (d.): Thomas Bridlington 12 April 1473–bef. 1494 (res.): William Nykke 10 July 1494–1500 (res.): Richard Nykke (became Bishop of Norwich) 30 December 1500–bef. 1502 (res.): François de Busleyden, Archbishop of Besançon 19 November 1502–1507 (d.): Thomas Beaumont (previously Archdeacon of Bath) 1 January 1508–26 December 1546 (res.): Polydore Vergil (also called Castellensis) Early modern Archdeaconry resigned to the crown and abolished, 1547. bef. 1547–aft. 1554: Vergil still called Archdeacon of Wells bef. 1554–?: Cotterell already called Archdeacon of Wells Archdeaconry re-erected, 1556. bef. 1559–1572 (d.): John Cotterell bef. 1572–bef. 1582 (d.): John Rugge March 1582–?: Bartholomew Clerke (a layman) 4 February 1589–aft. 1605: John Langworth 1611–aft. 1645: Gerard Wood 1645–bef. 1649: William Watts (never took possession) 1660–27 April 1680 (d.): Grindal Sheafe 28 April 1680–1683 (d.): Charles Thirlby 10 November 1683–8 October 1705 (d.): Edwin Sandys 11 October 1705–7 March 1716 (d.): Samuel Hill 4 May 1716–24 November 1726 (d.): Henry Layng 7 December 1726–1 October 1739 (d.): Edmund Archer (previously Archdeacon of Taunton) 26 November 1739–14 November 1742 (d.): John Wicksted 24 November 1742–20 April 1749 (d.): George Shakerley 19 August 1749–7 November 1757 (d.): Edmund Aubery 26 April 1758–26 February 1760 (d.): Lionel Seaman (previously Archdeacon of Taunton) 9 August 1760–1 October 1767 (d.): Francis Potter (previously Archdeacon of Taunton) 20 October 1767–12 May 1815 (d.): William Willes (previously Archdeacon of Taunton) 7 July 1815–5 April 1826 (d.): Charles Sandiford 4 October 1826–1862 (res.): Henry Law (became Dean of Gloucester) Late modern 1862–?: Fitzhardinge Portman (died 1893) April 1863–24 December 1897 (d.): Otway Fitzgerald, Rector of Charlton Mackrell (St Mary) until 1876, then Vicar of Brent Knoll[1][2] March 1898–20 September 1899 (d.): Arthur Salmon, Vicar of Brent Knoll[3][4][5] 1899–1 May 1917 (d.): Frederick Brymer, Rector of Charlton Mackrell (St Mary)[6] 1917–19 December 1934 (d.): Walter Farrer, Vicar of St Cuthbert's, Wells until 1919[7] 1935–1940 (res.): George Hollis, Bishop suffragan of Taunton[8] 1940–1951 (ret.): Norman Higgins, Rector of Mells until 1944[9] 1951–1962 (ret.): Bryant Salmon[10] 1963–1973 (ret.): John Lance[11] 1974–1982 (res.): Peter Haynes (became Dean of Hereford)[12] 1983–1993 (ret.): Ted Thomas[13] 1993–2003 (ret.): Richard Acworth[14] 2003–2006: Peter Maurice (became Bishop suffragan of Taunton)[15] April 2007–present: Nicola Sullivan[16] Notes Walkerius and Robert both occur with Gerbert Archdeacon of Bath, so they were each probably either Archdeacon of Wells or of Taunton. Arald occurs with Gerbert Archdeacon of Bath, so he was probably either Archdeacon of Wells or of Taunton. John occurs with Arald, so he was either Archdeacon of Bath, or of either Taunton or Wells (whichever Arald wasn't). References "Church news: preferments and appointments (Archived; subscription only)". Church Times (#9). 4 April 1863. p. 69. ISSN 0009-658X. Retrieved 13 April 2015. (subscription required (help)). "in memoriam (Archived; subscription only)". Church Times (#1823). 31 December 1897. p. 775. ISSN 0009-658X. Retrieved 13 April 2015. (subscription required (help)). "Church news: preferments and appointments (Archived; subscription only)". Church Times (#1824). 7 January 1898. p. 10. ISSN 0009-658X. Retrieved 13 April 2015. (subscription required (help)). "Church news: preferments and appointments (Archived; subscription only)". Church Times (#1834). 18 March 1898. p. 298. ISSN 0009-658X. Retrieved 13 April 2015. (subscription required (help)). Salmon, Ven. Edwin Arthur. Who Was Who. 1920–2015 (April 2014 online ed.). A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc. Retrieved 13 April 2015. Brymer, Ven. Frederick Augustus. Who Was Who. 1920–2015 (April 2014 online ed.). A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc. Retrieved 13 April 2015. Farrer, Ven. Walter. Who Was Who. 1920–2015 (April 2014 online ed.). A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc. Retrieved 13 April 2015. Hollis, Rt Rev. George Arthur. Who Was Who. 1920–2015 (April 2014 online ed.). A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc. Retrieved 13 April 2015. Higgins, Rev. Canon Walter Norman. Who Was Who. 1920–2015 (April 2014 online ed.). A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc. Retrieved 13 April 2015. Salmon, Rev. Prebendary Harold Bryant. Who Was Who. 1920–2015 (April 2014 online ed.). A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc. Retrieved 13 April 2015. Lance, Rev. Preb. John Du Boulay. Who Was Who. 1920–2015 (April 2014 online ed.). A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc. Retrieved 13 April 2015. Haynes, Very Rev. Peter. Who's Who 2014 (November 2014 online ed.). A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc. Retrieved 13 April 2015. Thomas, Ven. Charles Edward. Who's Who 2014 (November 2014 online ed.). A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc. Retrieved 13 April 2015. Acworth, Ven. Richard Foote. Who's Who 2014 (November 2014 online ed.). A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc. Retrieved 13 April 2015. Maurice, Rt Rev. Peter David. Who's Who 2014 (November 2014 online ed.). A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc. Retrieved 13 April 2015. Sullivan, Ven. Nicola Ann. Who's Who 2014 (November 2014 online ed.). A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc. Retrieved 13 April 2015. Sources Greenway, Diana E., Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae 1066–1300 7, pp. 25–26 Greenway, Diana E., Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae 1066–1300 7, pp. 31–35 Jones, B., Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae 1300–1541 8, pp. 12–14 Horn, Joyce M. & Bailey, Derrick Sherwin, Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae 1541–1857 5, pp. 9–11