Diocese of Hereford


The Diocese of Hereford is a Church of England diocese based in Hereford, covering Herefordshire, southern Shropshire and a few parishes within Worcestershire in England, and a few parishes within Powys and Monmouthshire in Wales. The cathedral is Hereford Cathedral and the bishop is the Bishop of Hereford. The diocese is one of the oldest in England and is part of the Province of Canterbury.
WWW hereford.anglican.org

Bishops

The diocesan Bishop of Hereford was, until 2020, assisted by the Bishop suffragan of Ludlow — it has been announced that the suffragan See is not to be filled. The provincial episcopal visitor is the Bishop suffragan of Oswestry, who is licensed as an honorary assistant bishop of the diocese in order to facilitate his work there.
Three retired bishops are licensed as assistant bishops in the diocese:

Statistics

As reported in the Church of England's Statistics for Mission 2018, published in October 2019, the diocese had a population of 331,000, fewer than any other except Sodor and Man. With 402 churches, the population per church was 820, the lowest of any diocese and less than 60% of the 1420 in the next lowest, St Edmundsbury and Ipswich. Average weekly church attendance was 8,700, a new low, down from 9,300 in 2017. The total worshipping community was estimated at 13,300, up from 11,700 in 2014, and 44% of these were aged over 70 years.

Archdeaconries and deaneries

The following deanery mergers have taken place:
  • Kington and Weobley before 1972
  • Ross and Archenfield before 1979
*including Cathedral

Churches

Extra-parochial areas

Archdeaconry of Hereford

Deanery of Abbeydore

Deanery of Bromyard

BeneficeChurchesLinkClergyPopulation servedRef

Rector: Elizabeth Sidwell1,526
Bromyard and Stoke Lacy
  • St Peter, Bromyard
  • Brockhampton Chapel
  • St Peter & St Paul, Stoke Lacy
    		• Vicar: Phillip MillerCurate: David HallLicensed Lay Minister Michael Wild5,268
    Edvin Loach with Tedstone Delamere, Tedstone Wafer, Upper Sapey, Wolferlow and Whitbourne
  • St Mary, Edvin Loach
  • St James, Tedstone Delamere
  • St Michael, Upper Sapey
  • St John the Baptist, Whitbourne
    		• Priest-in-Charge: VacantNSM: Dawn Hyett1,412
    Frome Valley Group of Parishes, The, Comprising Acton Beauchamp, Bishops Frome, Castle Frome and Fromes Hill, Evesbatch, Much Cowarne, Ocle Pychard, and Stanford Bishop
  • St Giles, Acton Beauchamp
  • St Mary the Virgin, Bishop's Frome
  • St Michael, Castle Frome
  • St Matthew, Fromes Hill
  • St Andrew, Evesbatch
  • St Mary the Virgin, Much Cowarne
  • St James the Great, Ocle Pychard
  • St James, Stanford Bishop
    		• Vicar: Steven BaggsNSM: Richard Allaway2,259

    Deanery of Condover

    Dedications

    Medieval churches

    All Saints: ClehongerSt Andrew: Allensmore, BredwardineSt Bartholomew: Thruxton, VowchurchSt Beuno: LlanveynoeSt Clydog: ClodockSt David: KilpeckSt Dubricius: St DevereuxSt Faith: Bacton, DorstoneSt James: Llangua St Kew: LlanguaSt Lawrence: Preston-on-WyeSt Leonard: BlakemereSt Margaret: St Margaret'sSt Mary: Clifford, Craswall, Cusop, Kentchurch, Tyberton, WalterstoneSS Mary & Ethelbert: Hereford CathedralSt Mary Magdalene: Brobury, TurnastoneSt Michael: Dulas, Eaton Bishop, Ewyas Harold, Kingstone, Michaelchurch Escley, MoccasNativity of Mary: MadleySt Peter: Longtown, Peterchurch, Rowlestone, WormbridgeSt Tysilio: Llancillo

    Post-medieval churches

    St John the Baptist: Newton St Mary: Abbeydore Holy Trinity: Hardwicke No dedication: Cockyard