The Diocese of Exeter is a Church of England diocese covering the county of Devon. It is one of the largest dioceses in England. The Cathedral Church of St Peter in Exeter is the seat of the diocesan Bishop of Exeter. It is part of the Province of Canterbury. The diocesan bishop (Mike Harrison) is assisted by two suffragan bishops, the Bishop of Crediton and the Bishop of Plymouth. The See of Crediton was created in 1897 and the See of Plymouth in 1923.
The Diocese of Crediton was created out of the Diocese of Sherborne in AD 909 to cover the area of Devon and Cornwall. Crediton was chosen as the site for its cathedral, possibly due it having been the birthplace of Saint Boniface and also the existence of a monastery there.
In 1046, Leofric became the Bishop of Crediton: following his appointment he decided that the see should be moved to the larger, more culturally significant and defensible walled town of Exeter. In 1050, King Edward the Confessor authorised that Exeter was to be the seat of the bishop for Devon and Cornwall and that a cathedral was to be built there for the bishop's throne. Thus, Leofric became the last diocesan Bishop of Crediton and the first Bishop of Exeter.
The diocese remained unchanged until 1876, when the former Archdeaconry of Cornwall became the independent Diocese of Truro.
The Bishop of Exeter is Mike Harrison; James Grier as Bishop suffragan of Plymouth; and Moira Astin as Bishop suffragan of Crediton. The provincial episcopal visitor (for parishes in this diocese â among twelve others in the western part of the Province of Canterbury â which do not accept the ordination of women as priests, since 1994) is the Bishop suffragan of Oswestry (for traditional Anglo-Catholics), and Rod Thomas, Bishop of Maidstone (for conservative evangelicals); they are licensed as honorary assistant bishops in the diocese.
There are three former bishops licensed as honorary assistant bishops in the diocese:
The diocese is divided into four archdeaconries. The Bishop suffragan of Crediton generally oversees the Archdeaconries of Barnstaple and Exeter and the Bishop suffragan of Plymouth the Archdeaconries of Plymouth and Totnes.
The following mergers of deaneries have taken place:
<nowiki>*</nowiki>including Cathedral
The arms of the diocese are Gules two keys in saltire Or a sword hilt downwards in pale Argent with hilt Or surmounted by a mitre. The charges are emblems of Saints Peter (keys) and Paul (sword) who are the patron saints of the cathedral.
Last fully updated 5 October 2018.
<sup>1</sup>part of the North Creedy West Mission Community <sup>2</sup>part of the North Creedy East Mission Community
<sup>1</sup>part of the East Exeter Mission Community <sup>2</sup>part of the West Exe Mission Community
<sup>1</sup>part of the Tiverton Mission Community
<sup>1</sup>part of the Bovey Valley Mission Community
<sup>1</sup>part of the Abbotskerswell Mission Community
<sup>1</sup>part of the Our Lady & All the Saints Mission Community <sup>2</sup>part of the West Torquay Mission Community <sup>3</sup>part of the All Saints & St Luke Mission Community
<sup>1</sup>part of the Three Rivers Mission Community
<sup>1</sup>part of the Coast and Combe Mission Community (which also includes the parishes of Berrynarbor and Combe Martin from Shirwell deanery) <sup>2</sup>part of the Barnstaple Mission Community
<sup>1</sup>part of the Holsworthy Mission Community
<sup>1</sup>part of the Coast and 'Combe Mission Community (which also includes seven churches from Barnstaple deanery) <sup>2</sup>part of the Lyn Valley Mission Community
<sup>1</sup>part of the Winkleigh Mission Community
<sup>1</sup>part of the South Dartmoor Mission Community <sup>2</sup>part of the Yealm & Erme Mission Community <sup>3</sup>part of the Yealmside Mission Community
<sup>1</sup>part of the Holy Family Mission Community <sup>2</sup>part of the Sacred Heart Mission Community
<sup>1</sup>part of the Tamar Mission Community <sup>2</sup>part of the Tavy Mission Community