The Archbishop of Canterbury is the head of the established Church of England and, symbolically, of the worldwide Anglican Communion.
From the time of St. Augustine until the 16th century, the Archbishops of Canterbury were in full communion with the Bishop of Rome. During the English Reformation the church broke away from the authority of the Pope, at first temporarily and later more permanently. Since then they have been outside of the succession of the Roman Catholic Church's hierarchy and have led the independent national church.[1]
In the Middle Ages there was considerable variation in the nomination of the Archbishop and other bishops — at various times the choice was made by the canons of Canterbury Cathedral, the King of England, or the Pope.[2][3][4] Since the reformation, the church is explicitly a state church and the choice is legally that of the British crown; today it is made in the name of the Monarchy of the United Kingdom by the Prime Minister, from a shortlist of two selected by an ad hoc committee called the Crown Nominations Commission.[5]
Today, the Archbishop fills four main roles:[6]
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The abbrevations in the tables below are as follows:
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Archbishops of Canterbury | ||||
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No. | Incumbent | From [A] | Until [B] | Notes |
1 | Augustine | 597 | 26 May 604 or 605 | Canonized: St Augustine.[7] |
2 | Laurentius (Laurence, Lawrence) |
c. 604 | 2 Feb 619 | Canonized: St Laurence of Canterbury.[8] |
3 | Mellitus (Miletus) |
619 | 24 Apr 624 | Translated from London;[9] canonized: St Mellitus.[10] |
4 | Justus | 624 | 10 Nov bet. 627 and 631 |
Translated from Rochester;[9] canonized: St Justus.[11] |
5 | Honorius | 627 | 30 Sep 653 | Canonized: St Honorius.[12] |
6 | Deusdedit (Deus-dedit, Adeodatus) |
Mar 655 | 14 Jul 664 | Canonized: St Deusdedit.[13] |
Vacant | 664 | 666 | ||
– | Wighard (Wigard) |
c. 666 | 668 | Died of plague before consecration.[14] |
7 | Theodore | 26 Mar 668 | 19 Sep 690 | Canonized: St Theodore of Tarsus.[15] |
8 | Bertwald (Brihtwald) |
29 Jun 693 | 13 Jan 731 | Abbot of Reculver Abbey;[16] canonized: St Berhtwald.[16] |
9 | Tatwin (Tatwine) |
10 Jun 731 | 30 Jul 734 | Canonized: St Tatwine.[17] |
10 | Nothelm (Nothelmus) |
735 | 17 Oct 739 | Canonized: St Nothelm.[18] |
11 | Cuthbert | c. 740 | 26 Oct 760 | Possibly translated from Hereford.[19] |
12 | Bregwin | 27 Sep 761 | 764 | Canonized: St Bregwin.[20] |
13 | Jænbert (Lambert, Genegberht, Jambert, Janbriht, Janibert, Lanbriht) |
2 Feb 765 | 11/12 Aug 792 | Abbot of St Augustine's, Canterbury.[21] |
14 | Æthelhard (Ethelhard) |
21 Jul 793 | 12 May 805 | |
15 | Wulfred | c. Oct 805 | 21 Mar 832 | |
16 | Feologild (Theolgild) |
8 Jun 832 | 30 Aug 832 | Abbot of an unknown monastery before election.[22] |
17 | Ceolnoth | c. 27 Jul 833 | 4 Feb 870 | |
18 | Æthelred | 870 | 30 Jun 888 | |
19 | Plegmund | 890 | 2 Aug 923 | Clerk to King Alfred.[23] |
20 | Athelm (Adelmus) |
bet. 923 and 925 | 8 Jan 926 | Translated from Wells.[19] |
21 | Wulfhelm (Wolfhelmus) |
c. 926 | 12 Feb 941 | Translated from Wells.[19] |
22 | Odo (Odo Severus, Oda the Severe) |
941 | 2 Jun 958 | Translated from Ramsbury;[19] canonized: St Oda.[24] |
23 | Alfsige (Alfsin) |
958 | 959 | |
24 | Birthelm | 959 | dep. 959 | Translated from Wells, deposed & returned to Wells.[19] |
25 | Dunstan | 959 | 19 May 988 | Translated from London;[19] canonized: St Dunstan.[25] |
26 | Athelgar (Ethelgarus) |
988 | Feb 990 | Translated from Selsey.[19] |
27 | Sigeric (Sigeric the Serious) |
990 | 28 Oct 994 | Translated from Ramsbury.[19] |
28 | Ælfric (Elfric, Aluricius) |
el. 21 Apr 995 | 16 Nov 1005 | Translated from Winchester;[19] canonized: St Aelfric.[26] |
29 | Alphege (ÆlfheahElphege) |
1006 | 19 Apr 1012 | Translated from Winchester;[19] canonized: St Alphege.[27] |
30 | Lyfing (Leovingus, Livingus, Elstan) |
1013 | 12 Jun 1020 | Translated from Wells.[19] |
31 | Æthelnoth (Æthelnotus, Ethelnoth, Egelnodus, Ednodus) |
13 Nov 1020 | c. 29 Oct 1038 | Formerly Dean of Canterbury.[28] |
32 | Edsige (Eadsige; Eadsimus; Eadsin) |
1038 | 29 Oct 1050 | |
33 | Robert of Jumièges (Robert Champart) |
Mar 1051 | dep. Sep 1052 | Deposed.[19] |
34 | Stigand | 1052 | depr. 11 Apr 1070 | Concurrently Bishop of Winchester; deprived of both sees.[29] |
Archbishops of Canterbury | ||||
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No. | Incumbent | From [A] | Until [B] | Notes |
35 | Lanfranc | 29 Aug 1070 | 28 May 1089 | Abbot of St. Étienne, Caen.[4] |
36 | Anselm | 4 Dec 1093 | 21 Apr 1109 | Abbot of Bec;[4] Canonized: St Anselm.[30] |
Vacant | 1109 | 1114 | ||
37 | Ralph (Ralph d'Escures; Rodolphus; Ralph de Turbine) |
el. 26 Apr 1114 | 2 Oct 1122 | Translated from Rochester.[31] |
38 | William de Corbeil (William Corbois; William Corbyl) |
18 Feb 1123 | 21 Nov 1136 | Prior of St Osyth.[4] |
Vacant | 1136 | 1139 | ||
39 | Theobald of Bec | 8 Jan 1139 | 18 Apr 1161 | Abbot of Bec.[4] |
Vacant | 1161 | 1162 | ||
40 | Thomas Becket (Thomas à Becket) |
3 Jun 1162 | 29 Dec 1170 | Previously Archdeacon of Canterbury[4] and Lord Chancellor;[32] canonized: St Thomas of Canterbury.[33] |
– | Roger de Bailleul | 1273 [4] | Abbot of Le Bec-Hellouin; elected but declined the see.[4] | |
41 | Richard (Richard of Dover) |
7 Apr 1174 | 16 Feb 1184 | Prior of Dover.[4] |
42 | Baldwin (Baldwin of Exeter) |
tr. Dec 1184 | Nov 1190 | Translated from Worcester.[4] |
– | Reginald Fitz Jocelin | el. 27 Nov 1191 | 26 Dec 1191 [4] | Translated from Wells; elected, however, appeals against it were sent to Pope Celestine III, but Reginald died before they was heard.[4] |
Vacant | 1191 | 1193 | ||
43 | Hubert Walter | tr. 29 May 1193 | 13 Jul 1205 | Translated from Salisbury;[4] Lord Chancellor;[32] Chief Justiciar.[34] |
– | Reginald | el. bet. Jul and Oct 1205 |
bet. Oct and Dec 1206 [4] |
Sub-prior, elected but set aside by King John.[4] |
– | John de Gray (John Grey, John de Grey) |
pos. 11 Dec 1205 | c. 30 Mar 1206 [4] | Bishop of Norwich; chosen by the monks but set aside by the pope.[4] |
44 | Cardinal Stephen Langton | 17 Jun 1207 | 9 Jul 1228 | Created a cardinal in 1205.[35] |
– | Walter d'Eynsham (Walter de Hempsham) |
el. 3 Aug 1228 | Jan 1229 [4] | Elected but set aside by King Henry III of England and Pope Gregory IX.[4] |
45 | Richard le Grant (Richard Weathershed) |
10 Jun 1229 | 3 Aug 1231 | Formerly Chancellor of the see of Lincoln. |
– | Ralph Neville | pos. 22 Sep 1231 | 20 Dec 1231 | Bishop of Chichester, election quashed by Pope Gregory XI.[4] |
– | John of Sittingbourne | el. 16 Mar 1232 | 12 Jun 1232 [4] | election quashed by Pope Gregory XI.[4] |
– | John Blund | el. 26 Aug 1232 | 1 Jun 1233 [4] | election quashed by Pope Gregory XI.[4] |
46 | Edmund Rich | 2 Apr 1234 | 16 Nov 1240 | Prebendary of Salisbury;[4] canonized: St Edmund of Abingdon.[36] |
47 | Boniface (Boniface of Savoy) |
el. 1 Feb 1241 [C] | 14 Jul 1270 | Translated from Belley in France |
– | William Chillenden (Adam of Chillenden) |
el. 9 Sep 1270 | summer 1272 [4] | Prior of Christ Church, Canterbury; elected but set aside by Pope Gregory X.[4] |
48 | Cardinal Robert Kilwardby | 26 Feb 1273 | res. 5 Jun 1278 | Created a cardinal in 1278;[37] and resigned.[4] |
– | Robert Burnell | pos. Jun or Jul 1278 [4] | Jan 1279 [4] | Bishop of Bath & Wells; elected but set aside by Pope Nicholas III.[4] |
49 | John Peckham (John Pecham) |
19 Feb 1279 | 8 Dec 1292 | English Provincial of the Franciscan Order.[4] |
50 | Robert Winchelsey | 12 Sep 1294 | 11 May 1313 | Formerly Archdeacon of Essex;[4] Chancellor of Oxford |
– | Thomas Cobham | el. 28 May 1313 | 1 Oct 1313 [38] | Election quashed.[38] |
51 | Walter Reynolds | tr. 1 Oct 1313 | 16 Nov 1327 | Translated from Worcester;[38] Lord Chancellor;[39] Lord Treasurer.[40] |
52 | Simon Mepeham (Simon Meopham) |
5 Jun 1328 | 12 Oct 1333 | Prebendary of Chichester Cathedral;[41] excommunicated.[41] |
53 | John de Stratford | pos. 3 Nov 1333 | 23 Aug 1348 | Translated from Winchester;[38] Lord Chancellor.[39] |
– | John de Ufford | nom. 24 Sep 1348 | 20 May 1349 [42] | Dean of Lincoln;[42] Lord Chancellor;[39] died before consecration.[42] |
54 | Thomas Bradwardine | 19 Jul 1349 | 26 Aug 1349 | |
55 | Simon Islip | 20 Dec 1349 | 26 Apr 1366 | Prebendary of St Paul's;[43] secretary to the king and keeper of the Privy Seal.[44] |
– | William Edington (William Edendon) |
1366 | Bishop of Winchester;[45] elected but refused the see.[3] | |
56 | Cardinal Simon Langham | tr. 24 Jul 1366 | res. 28 Nov 1368 | Translated from Ely;[38] created a cardinal in 1368;[46] and resigned the see. He was elected a second time in 1274, but Pope Gregory XI refused to confirm the election.[47][46] |
57 | William Whittlesey (William Wittlesey) |
tr. 11 Oct 1368 | Jun 1374 | Translated from Worcester.[38] |
58 | Simon Sudbury (Simon de Sudbury; Simon Tibold; Simon Theobold) |
tr. 4 May 1375 | 14 Jun 1381 | Translated from London;[38] Lord Chancellor;[39] beheaded during the Peasant's Revolt.[48] |
59 | William Courtenay | tr. 31 Jul 1381 | 31 Jul 1396 | Translated from London;[38] Lord Chancellor.[49] |
60 | Thomas Arundel (Thomas Fitz-Alan) |
tr. 25 Sep 1396 | dep. 1397 | Translated from York;[38] Lord Chancellor;[49] charged with high treason under Richard II, fled but restored later.[50] |
61 | Roger Walden | nom. 8 Nov 1397 | depr. 19 Oct 1399 | Deprived.[38] |
(60) | Thomas Arundel (Thomas Fitz-Alan) |
restored 19 Oct 1399 |
19 Feb 1414 | Restored by Henry IV.[50] |
62 | Henry Chichele (Henry Chicheley; Henry Checheley) |
tr. 12 Mar 1414 | 12 Apr 1443 | Translated from St David's.[38] |
63 | John Stafford | tr. 13 May 1443 | 25 May 1452 | Translated from Bath & Wells;[38] Lord Chancellor;[49] Lord Treasurer.[51] |
64 | Cardinal John Kempe | tr. 21 Jul 1452 | 22 Mar 1454 | Created a cardinal in 1439;[52] Translated from York;[53] Lord Chancellor;[49] |
65 | Cardinal Thomas Bourchier | tr. 23 Apr 1454 | 30 Mar 1486 | Translated from Ely;[53] Lord Chancellor;[49] created a cardinal in 1467.[54] |
66 | Cardinal John Morton | tr. 6 Oct 1486 | 15 Sep 1500 | Translated from Ely;[53] Lord Chancellor.[55] created a cardinal in 1493.[56] |
– | Thomas Langton | 22 Jan 1501 | 27 Jan 1501 | Bishop of Winchester;[53] died 5 days after being chosen.[3] |
67 | Henry Deane (Henry Dean; Henry Dene) |
tr. 26 Apr 1501 | 15/17 Feb 1503 | Translated from Salisbury.[53] |
68 | William Warham | tr. 29 Nov 1503 | 22 Aug 1532 | Translated from London;[53] Lord Chancellor.[55] |
69 | Thomas Cranmer | 30 Mar 1533 | depr. 13 Nov 1555 | Archdeacon of Taunton;[57] excommunicated by Rome and deprived for heresy 1553;[57] put to death by burning, 21 March 1556.[57] |
70 | Cardinal Reginald Pole | 22 Mar 1556 | 18/19 Nov 1558 | Dean of Exeter;[58] created a cardinal in 1536.[59] |
Archbishops of Canterbury | ||||
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No. | Incumbent | From [A] | Until [B] | Notes |
71 | Matthew Parker | 17 Dec 1559 | 17 May 1575 | Dean of Lincoln.[60] |
72 | Edmund Grindal | tr. 29 Dec 1575 | 6 Jul 1583 | Translated from York.[53] |
73 | John Whitgift | nom. 14 Aug 1583 | 29 Feb 1604 | Translated from Worcester.[53] |
74 | Richard Bancroft | nom. 9 Oct 1604 | 2 Nov 1610 | Translated from London.[53] |
75 | George Abbot | nom. 4 Mar 1611 | 4 Aug 1633 | Translated from London.[53] |
76 | William Laud | nom. 6 Aug 1633 | 10 Jan 1645 | Translated from London;[53] executed in office;[2] commemorated in the Church of England,[61] and the Episcopal Church in the U.S.A.[62][63] |
Vacant | 1645 | 1660 | ||
77 | William Juxon | nom. 2 Sep 1660 | 4 Jun 1663 | Translated from London.[53] |
78 | Gilbert Sheldon | nom. 16 Jume 1663 | 9 Nov 1677 | Translated from London.[53] |
79 | William Sancroft | 27 Jan 1678 | depr. 1 Feb 1690 | Dean of St Paul's;[2] deprived for not taking oaths to William and Mary.[2] died 24 Nov 1693.[53] |
80 | John Tillotson | 31 May 1691 | 22 Nov 1694 | Dean of St Paul's.[2] |
81 | Thomas Tenison | nom. 6 Dec 1694 | 14 Dec 1715 | Translated from Lincoln.[53] |
82 | William Wake | nom. 17 Dec 1715 | 24 Jan 1737 | Translated from Lincoln.[53] |
83 | John Potter | nom. 9 Feb 1737 | 10 Oct 1747 | Translated from Oxford.[53] |
84 | Thomas Herring | nom. 21 Oct 1747 | 13 Mar 1757 | Translated from York.[53] |
85 | Matthew Hutton | nom. 29 Mar 1757 | 19 Mar 1758 | Translated from York.[53] |
86 | Thomas Secker | nom. 8 Mar 1758 | 3 Aug 1768 | Translated from Oxford.[53] |
87 | Frederick Cornwallis | nom. 12 Aug 1768 | 19 Mar 1783 | Translated from Lichfield & Coventry.[53] |
88 | John Moore | nom. 31 Mar 1783 | 18 Jan 1805 | Translated from Bangor.[53] |
89 | Charles Manners-Sutton | nom. 1 Feb 1805 | 21 Jul 1828 | Translated from Norwich.[53] |
90 | William Howley | nom. 6 Aug 1828 | 11 Feb 1848 | Translated from London.[53] |
91 | John Bird Sumner | nom. 17 Feb 1848 | 6 Sep 1862 | Translated from Chester.[53] |
92 | Charles Thomas Longley | nom. 20 Oct 1862 | 28 Oct 1868 | Translated from York.[53] |
93 | Archibald Campbell Tait | nom. 28 Nov 1868 | 1 Dec 1882 | Translated from London.[53] |
94 | Edward White Benson | nom. 13 Jan 1883 | 11 Oct 1896 | Translated from Truro.[64] |
95 | Frederick Temple | nom. 9 Nov 1896 | 22 Dec 1902 | Translated from London.[64] |
96 | Randall Thomas Davidson | nom. 14 Jan 1903 | res. 12 Nov 1928 | Translated from Winchester;[64] retired;[64] died 25 May 1930.[64] |
97 | William Cosmo Gordon Lang | nom. 13 Nov 1928 | res. 31 Mar 1942 | Translated from York;[64] retired.[64] died 5 December 1945.[64] |
98 | William Temple | nom. 1 Apr 1942 | 26 Oct 1944 | Translated from York.[64] Died in office. |
99 | Geoffrey Francis Fisher | nom. 12 Jan 1945 | res. 31 May 1961 | Translated from London;[64] retired;[64] died 1972.[65] |
100 | Arthur Michael Ramsey | nom. 1 Jun 1961 | res. 15 Nov 1974 | Translated from York; retired; died 23 April 1988.[66] |
101 | Frederick Donald Coggan | nom. 18 Nov 1974 | res. 25 Jan 1980 | Translated from York; retired; died 17 May 2000.[67] |
102 | Robert Alexander Kennedy Runcie | nom. 1 Feb 1980 | res. 1991. | Translated from St Albans; retired; died 2000.[68] |
103 | George Leonard Carey [69] | enth. 19 April 1991 | res. 31 Oct 2002. | Translated from Bath & Wells; retired.[69] |
104 | Rowan Douglas Williams, FBA | enth. 27 Feb 2003 | present | Translated from Wales.[70] |
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