Diocese of Bristol
The Diocese of Bristol is an ecclesiastical jurisdiction or diocese of the Church of England in the Province of Canterbury, England. It is based in the city of Bristol and covers parts of South Gloucestershire and parts of north Wiltshire, as far east as Swindon. The diocese is headed by the Bishop of Bristol and the Episcopal seat is located at the Cathedral Church of the Holy and Undivided Trinity, commonly known as Bristol Cathedral.
History
Until the Reformation, Bristol, along with the rest of Gloucestershire, was part of the medieval Diocese of Worcester. Under the Suffragan Bishops Act 1534, Henry Holbeach was appointed the only suffragan bishop of Bristol in 1538 and assisted the Bishop of Worcester in overseeing the medieval diocese. Nearly two years later, Bristol became part of the newly formed Diocese of Gloucester in 1541. The following year, the Diocese of Bristol was established on 4 June 1542 and consisted of the city of Bristol together with the county of Dorset.Image: [Diocese of Gloucester and Bristol arms.svg|thumb|150px|Coat of arms of the Diocese of Gloucester and Bristol, consisting of the diocesan arms of Bristol impaling the diocesan arms of Gloucester]
The Diocese of Bristol continued until 5 October 1836 when Dorset was annexed to the Diocese of Salisbury and the remainder, the city of Bristol, formed part of the Diocese of Gloucester and Bristol. After sixty years, the Diocese of Bristol was "reconstituted" on 9 July 1897, but with different boundaries.
Organisation
Bishops
Viv Faull was the most recent diocesan Bishop of Bristol from the confirmation of her election on 25 June 2018 until her retirement on 1 September 2025. In the vacancy, the Bishop of Swindon is acting diocesan bishop.The diocesan bishop is assisted by a Bishop suffragan of Swindon. The provincial episcopal visitor is the Bishop suffragan of Ebbsfleet, who is licensed as an honorary assistant bishop of the diocese in order to facilitate his work there.
Archdeaconries and deaneries
The diocese is divided into two archdeaconries, each of which is further divided into deaneries.| Diocese | Archdeaconries | Rural Deaneries |
| Diocese of Bristol | Archdeaconry of Bristol | Deanery of Bristol South |
| Diocese of Bristol | Archdeaconry of Bristol | Deanery of Bristol West |
| Diocese of Bristol | Archdeaconry of Bristol | City Deanery |
| Diocese of Bristol | Archdeaconry of Malmesbury | Deanery of Chippenham |
| Diocese of Bristol | Archdeaconry of Malmesbury | Deanery of Kingswood and South Gloucestershire |
| Diocese of Bristol | Archdeaconry of Malmesbury | Deanery of North Wiltshire |
| Diocese of Bristol | Archdeaconry of Malmesbury | Deanery of Swindon |
Churches
Source:Bristol Cathedral falls outside the following deanery structure.
Archdeaconry of Bristol
Deanery of Bristol South: Ashton Gate, Bedminster, Bedminster Down, Bishopsworth (St Peter), Brislington, Brislington, Brislington, Brislington (St Luke), Hartcliffe, Hengrove, Knowle, Knowle, Knowle West, Redcliffe (St Mary the Virgin), Southville, Stockwood, Whitchurch (St Augustine), Whitchurch, Windmill Hill, Withywood ChurchDeanery of Bristol West: Abbots Leigh, Almondsbury, Alveston, Aust, Avonmouth, Clifton (All Saints), Clifton (Christ Church), Compton Greenfield, Elberton, Henbury (St Mary the Virgin), Henleaze, Lawrence Weston, Leigh Woods, Littleton-on-Severn, Olveston, Pilning, Sea Mills, Shirehampton, Southmead, Stoke Bishop, Westbury-on-Trym (Holy Trinity), Westbury Park
City Deanery: Barton Hill, Bishopston, Bishopston St Michael & All Angels, Bristol St Aidan, Bristol St Bartholomew with St Andrew, Bristol Christ Church, Bristol St Matthew, Bristol St Nicholas, Bristol SS Philip & Jacob, Bristol St Stephen, Clifton St Paul, Cotham (St Saviour with St Mary), Easton All Hallows, Easton Holy Trinity, Eastville, Fishponds All Saints, Fishponds St John, Fishponds St Mary, Horfield Holy Trinity, Horfield St Gregory the Great, Hotwells (Holy Trinity), Lockleaze, Redland Parish Church, St Paul's, Two Mile Hill, Whitehall
Archdeaconry of Malmesbury
Deanery of Chippenham: Biddestone, Bowden Hill, Box (St Thomas a Becket), Castle Combe (St Andrew), Chapel Plaister, Chippenham St Andrew, Chippenham St Paul, Chippenham St Peter, Cold Ashton, Colerne, Corsham, Ditteridge, Gastard, Grittleton, Hardenhuish, Kington St Michael, Lacock, Langley Burrell, Littleton Drew, Marshfield, Neston, Nettleton, North Wraxall, Slaughterford, Tormarton, Tytherton Lucas, West Kington, West Littleton, Yatton KeynellDeanery of Kingswood and South Gloucestershire: Abson, Bitton, Bradley Stoke Christ the King, Bradley Stoke Holy Trinity, Coalpit Heath, Downend, Doynton, Dyrham, Filton, Frampton Cotterell, Frenchay, Hanham, Hanham Abbots, Iron Acton, Kingswood All Souls, Kingswood Ascension, Kingswood Holy Trinity, Longwell Green, Mangotsfield, Oldland, Patchway, Pucklechurch, Soundwell, Stapleton (Holy Trinity), Stoke Gifford, Syston, Wapley, Warmley, Westerleigh, Wick, Winterbourne (St Michael the Archangel), Winterbourne Down, Yate St Mary, Yate St Nicholas
Deanery of North Wiltshire: Alderton, Ashley, Ashton Keynes, Brokenborough, Brinkworth, Charlton, Christian Malford, Corston, Cricklade, Crudwell, Dauntsey, Easton Grey Parish Church, Foxley Parish Church, Garsdon, Great Somerford, Hankerton, Hullavington, Kington Langley, Latton, Lea, Leigh (All Saints), Little Somerford, Luckington, Malmesbury, Minety, Norton, Oaksey, Rodbourne, Seagry, Sherston Magna (Holy Cross), Stanton St Quintin, Sutton Benger, Tytherton Kellaways
Deanery of Swindon: Bishopstone, Blunsdon, Broad Blunsdon, Hannington, Haydon Wick, Highworth, Hinton Parva, Lyddington, Lydiard Millicent, Lydiard Tregoze, Purton (St Mary), Rodbourne Cheney, Sevenhampton, Shaw, South Marston, Stanton Fitzwarren, Stratton, Swindon All Saints, Swindon St Aldhelm, Swindon St Andrew, Swindon St Augustine of Canterbury, Swindon St Barnabas, Swindon Christ Church, Swindon St John the Baptist, Swindon St Luke, Swindon St Mark, Swindon St Mary, Swindon St Paul, Swindon St Peter, Swindon St Saviour, Swindon St Timothy, Toothill Church, Upper Stratton, Wanborough (St Andrew), Westlea Church, Wroughton