Archdeacon of Wilts


The Archdeacon of Wilts is a senior cleric in the Diocese of Salisbury, England. The archdeacon is responsible for the disciplinary supervision of the clergy in five deaneries: Marlborough, Pewsey, Calne, Bradford and Devizes.
Louise Ellis has been the Archdeacon of Wilts since 24 May 2025.

History

The first recorded archdeacons in Salisbury diocese occur soon after the Norman Conquest and there were apparently four archdeacons from the outset. However, no territorial titles are recorded until after. The archdeacons at that time were the Archdeacons of Dorset, Berkshire, Sarum and Wiltshire. The role is now generally called Archdeacon of Wilts, but both names have been used commonly throughout history.

Allocation of parishes to deaneries

Many changes were made to the allocation of parishes to deaneries in 1951. The parishes of Charlton, Wilsford and North Newnton were transferred to Wilts from the archdeaconry of Sarum in 1955.

List of archdeacons

High Medieval

  • bef. 1139–1139: Azo
  • bef. 1139–aft. 1157: Roger of Ramsbury
  • bef. 1161–1164: Reginald Fitz Jocelin
  • bef. 1173–aft. 1173: William
  • bef. 1179–aft. 1189: Richard of Wilton
  • 1193: Humphrey of Bassingbourn or de Bassingeburn
  • 1193–1198 : William of Sainte-Mère-Église
  • bef. 1199–aft. 1222: Richard Grosseteste
  • bef. 1223–aft. 1223: William de Merston
  • bef. 1226–aft. 1246: Stephen of Tisbury
  • bef. 1246–1247 : Roger of Buscot
  • 1247–aft. 1257: Nicholas of York
  • bef. 1258–aft. 1271: Roger de la Grene
  • bef. 1275–aft. 1279: Henry Brandeston
  • bef. 1283–bef. 1284: Ralph of Leicester
  • bef. 1284–aft. 1287: Ralph le Waleys of Brightwell
  • aft. 1288–aft. 1296: William of Abingdon
  • bef. 1299–1303 : Richard de Sotwell

Late Medieval

  • ?–1304 : Thomas of Savoy
  • 25 January 1304–bef. 1320 : William de Chaddleshunt
  • bef. 1321–bef. 1326 : Gerald de Tilheto
  • 12 March–March 1326 : Iswin de Gandavo
  • March 1326 : Robert de Baldock senior
  • 27 March 1326 – 1331 : Robert de Ayleston
  • 8 August 1331–aft. 1333: Ralph de Querendon
  • 10 January 1333 – 30 June 1343 : John de Whitchurch
  • 30 June 1343–bef. 1361 : John Barne
  • 26–27 December 1361 : John Lineden
  • 27 December 1361–aft. 1379: John Silvestre or Codeford
  • 1388–bef. 1407 : Nicholas Wykeham
  • 17 March–21 April 1407 : William Magot
  • 21 April 1407–March 1419: John Chitterne
  • 1419–bef. 1423 : John Gaunstede
  • 13 October 1423 – 1449 : John Symondesburgh
  • 14 August 1449 – 1452 : John Chadworth
  • 8 November 1452–aft. 1454: Marinus Ursinus
  • 27 March 1457–bef. 1464 : Vincent Clement
  • 10 October 1464 – 1478 : Peter Courtenay
  • 1 February 1479–aft. 1485: Hugh Pavy
  • bef. 1488–bef. 1522 : Christopher Urswick, Dean of York until 1494, Dean of Windsor and Rector of Hackney from 1502, Archdeacon of Norfolk and Archdeacon of Oxford )
  • 12 May 1522–bef. 1539 : Edward Finch
  • 15 January 1539–bef. 1554 : John Pollard ''''

Early modern

Late modern