The Diocese of Norwich forms part of the Province of Canterbury in England.
It traces its roots in an unbroken line to the diocese of Dunwich founded in 630. In common with many Anglo-Saxon bishoprics it moved, in this case to Elmham in 673. After the Norman invasion it moved to Thetford in 1070 finally moving to Norwich in 1094.
It covers 573 parishes with 656 churches covering all of the county of Norfolk save for the extreme west beyond the River Great Ouse that is part of the diocese of Ely. It includes the deanery of Lothingland (the port of Lowestoft and its immediate hinterland) in the county of Suffolk. This totals an area over 1,800 square miles (4,700 km2) with a population (2008) of some 867,000.
Like most older dioceses, the territory has been gradually reduced. Until the formation of the Diocese of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich in 1914, East Suffolk was included, and earlier other areas.
The Bishop of Norwich leads the Diocese, and is assisted by the Suffragan Bishops of Lynn and Thetford.
The diocese is divided into 21 Deaneries:
- Blofield, Breckland, Burnham & Walsingham
- Depwade, Dereham in Mitford,
- Great Yarmouth
- Heacham & Rising, Holt, Humbleyard
- Ingworth
- Loddon, Lothingland, Lynn
- Norwich East, Norwich North, Norwich South
- Redenhall, Repps
- St Benet, Sparham
- Thetford & Rockland
Famous quotes containing the word anglican:
“I was the rector’s son, born to the anglican order,
Banned for ever from the candles of the Irish poor;
The Chichesters knelt in marble at the end of a transept
With ruffs about their necks, their portion sure.”
—Louis MacNeice (1907–1963)