Diocese of Lichfield

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Diocese of Lichfield
Province Canterbury
Bishop Bishop of Lichfield
Cathedral Lichfield Cathedral
Archdeaconries Lichfield, Stoke-on-Trent, Salop, Walsall
Parishes 429
Churches 585 
Diocesan website

The Diocese of Mercia was created by Bishop Diuma in around 656 and the see was settled in Lichfield in 669 by the then bishop, Ceadda (later Saint Chadd). At the Council of Chelsea, Bishop Higbert was raised to the rank of archbishop and given authority over the dioceses of Worcester, Leicester, Lincoln, Hereford, Elmham and Dunwich. This was due to the persuasion of King Offa of Mercia, who wanted an archbishop to rival Canterbury. On Offa's death, however, the Pope removed the archepiscopal rank and restored the dioceses to the authority of Canterbury. In 803 the Council of Clovesho accepted this decision.

During the 9th century, the diocese was devastated by the Vikings. Lichfield itself was unwalled and had become rather poor, so Bishop Peter moved the see to the fortified and wealthier Chester in 1075. His successor, Robert de Limesey, transferred it to Coventry and the diocese was renamed the Diocese of Coventry and Lichfield. At this stage it also covered Derbyshire and most of Warwickshire.

In 1539 the see was transferred back to Lichfield and the name was reversed to become the Diocese of Lichfield and Coventry. In 1837 Coventry was transferred to the Diocese of Worcester, and Derbyshire became part of the Diocese of Southwell in 1884.

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Church of England Dioceses in the Province of Canterbury

Bath & Wells | Birmingham | Bristol | Canterbury | Chelmsford | Chichester | Coventry | Derby | Ely | Exeter | Gibraltar in Europe | Gloucester | Guildford | Hereford | Leicester | Lichfield | Lincoln | London | Norwich | Oxford | Peterborough | Portsmouth | Rochester | St Albans | St Edmundsbury and Ipswich | Salisbury | Southwark | Truro | Winchester | Worcester

Church of England Dioceses in the Province of York

Blackburn | Bradford | Carlisle | Chester | Durham | Liverpool | Manchester | Newcastle | Ripon and Leeds | Sheffield | Sodor and Man | Southwell and Nottingham | Wakefield | York