Herman of Wilton was appointed bishop of Ramsbury, covering Wiltshire and Berkshire, by Edward the Confessor in 1045. In or after 1059 he was also appointed Sherborne, covering Dorset, uniting the two dioceses. In 1075 he obtained approval to move the see to Old Sarum.[2] Disputes between the bishops Herbert and Richard Poore and the sheriffs of Wiltshire led to the removal of the see in the 1220s to a new site. This was chartered as the city of New Sarum by King Henry III in 1227,[3] but it was not until the 14th century that the office was described (by Robert Wyvil) as the Bishop of Sarum (episcopus Sarum).[4] The diocese, like the city, is now known as Salisbury. The archdeaconry around Salisbury, however, retains the name of Sarum.
In 1925 and 1974, new suffragan bishops were appointed to assist the Bishop of Salisbury; the new offices were titled the bishops of Sherborne and Ramsbury, respectively.[1] Until 2009[5] the bishops operated under an episcopal area scheme established in 1981, with each suffragan bishop having a formal geographical area of responsibility, and being known as "area bishops". The Bishop of Ramsbury had oversight of the diocese's parishes in Wiltshire, while the Bishop of Sherborne had oversight of the diocese's parishes in Dorset. This scheme was replaced to reflect the increased working across the whole diocese by all three bishops. The two suffragans may now legally function anywhere in the diocese, and the Bishop of Salisbury may delegate any of his functions to them.
The diocese is also divided into four archdeaconries, two for each county. These are further subdivided into deaneries and parishes. Changes were made to the allocation of parishes to deaneries in 1951.[6] In 2022, the deaneries of Guernsey and Jersey were attached to the diocese.[7]
The Sarum Rite (more properly called Sarum Use) was a variant of the Roman Rite widely used for the ordering of Christian public worship, including the Mass and the Divine Office. It was established by Saint Osmund, Bishop of Salisbury in the 11th century[13] and was originally the local form used in the Cathedral and Diocese of Salisbury; it later became prevalent throughout southern England and came to be used throughout most of England, Wales, Ireland and later Scotland until the reign of Queen Mary.[14] Although abandoned after the 16th century, it was also a notable influence on the pattern of Anglicanliturgy represented in the Book of Common Prayer. Occasional interest in and attempts at restoration of the liturgy by Anglicans and Roman Catholics have not produced a general revival, however.
Archdeaconries and deaneries
There are twenty-one deaneries within the diocese.[15][16][7]
^ a bThe Diocese of Salisbury. "The History of the Diocese" Archived 2015-09-24 at the Wayback Machine. Church of England (Salisbury), 2015. Accessed 3 Jan 2015.
^Barrow, Julia (2004). "Hermann (d. 1078)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/13084. ISBN 978-0-19-861412-8. Retrieved 28 February 2019. (subscription or UK public library membership required)
^Easton, James. A Chronology of Remarkable Events Relative to the City of New Sarum, with the Year, and the Name of the Mayor in whose Time they occurred: Chiefly collected from the authentic Sources of the City Records, and Manuscripts of Citizens, From A.D. 1227 to 1823, a Period of 596 Years, Including the Prices of Wheat and Barley from an Early Æra: To which are added, Their annual Average Prices for 28 Years, Being from 1796 to 1823, 5th ed., p. 1. J. Easton (Salisbury), 1824.
^Victoria History of Wiltshire, Vol. VI, pp. 93–94.
^Salisbury Diocesan Synod minutes – 99th session, 7 November 2009 Archived 24 April 2014 at the Wayback Machine p. 3 (Accessed 23 April 2014)
^ a b"About". Deanery of Guernsey. Archived from the original on 11 August 2023. Retrieved 24 September 2023.
^Beddowes, Brian. "Welcome". The See of Oswestry. Retrieved 2 December 2022.
^"The Consecration of the first Bishop of Oswestry". See of Oswestry. 2 February 2023. Archived from the original on 2 February 2023. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
^"Hallatt, David Marrison". Who's Who. Vol. 2014 (December 2013 online ed.). A & C Black. Retrieved 21 August 2014. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
^"Price, Peter Bryan". Who's Who. Vol. 2014 (December 2013 online ed.). A & C Black. Retrieved 21 August 2014. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
^"Ind, William". Who's Who. Vol. 2014 (December 2013 online ed.). A & C Black. Retrieved 23 August 2014. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
^"Catholic Encyclopedia: Sarum Rite". Newadvent.org. 1 February 1912. Retrieved 2 April 2010.
^"Photostats of Bologna, Biblioteca Universitaria 2565, Sarum Missal". Bodley.ox.ac.uk. 1 September 2009. Retrieved 2 April 2010.
^"Map of Salisbury Diocese". The Diocese of Salisbury. Archived from the original on 6 July 2017. Retrieved 5 March 2017.
^"Deaneries". The Diocese of Salisbury. Archived from the original on 24 June 2017. Retrieved 5 March 2017.
^"The Clarendon Churches – The Church of England to the East of Salisbury". Retrieved 21 May 2024.
^"Bourne Valley Churches". Bourne Valley Churches. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
^"St Mary's Church/ Redlynch". www.achurchnearyou.com. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
^"Home". hazelburybryanhillsideparishes.co.uk. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
^"Stour Vale Churches: the website for the Stour Vale Benefice (8 parishes in North Dorset)". Retrieved 22 May 2024.
^"Okeford Benefice – The Okeford Benefice parishes". Retrieved 22 May 2024.
^"ShaftesburyCofE.org.uk – Church of England Churches in and around Shaftesbury". Retrieved 22 May 2024.
^"St Mary the Virgin, Gillingham". www.achurchnearyou.com. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
^"St Peter's". www.achurchnearyou.com. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
^"Homepage". St Gregory's Church Marnhull. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
^"Purse Caundle: St Peter". www.achurchnearyou.com. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
^"BOASW". www.boasw.org. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
^"The Churches of North Bradford on Avon". The Churches of North Bradford on Avon. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
^"home". Holy Trinity. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
^"Home". Faith In Our Village. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
^"The Canalside Benefice - Home Page". canalsidebenefice.org.uk. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
^"Melksham Church". Melksham Church. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
^"Three In One Benefice - The Benefice of North Bradley, Southwick and Steeple Ashton". Retrieved 22 May 2024.
^"St. John's Church, Studley". St. John's Church, Studley. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
^"St James Church, Trowbridge". stjameschurch. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
^Trowbridge, St Thomas' Church. "St Thomas' Church Trowbridge". www.stthomastrowbridge.org. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
^"The Marden Vale Team Ministry – Part of the Salisbury Diocese of the Church of England". Retrieved 22 May 2024.