Anglican Diocese of Manchester - History

History

The Diocese of Manchester was founded on 1 September 1847, having previously been part of the Diocese of Chester.

It was founded in accordance with the Third Report of the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, appointed to consider the state of the Established Church in England and Wales, printed in 1836. It recommended the formation of the bishopric of Manchester, and the Ecclesiastical Commissioners Act 1836 (6 and 7 William IV cap. 77) was passed that year whereby His Majesty, by Order-in-Council was empowered to carry into effect the recommendations of the Commissioners. It provided that the sees of St. Asaph and Bangor should be united on the next vacancy in either, and on that occurring the bishop of Manchester should be created. The union of the sees never took place and, by the Ecclesiastical Commissioners Act 1847 (10 and 11 Vic. cap. 108) followed by an Order-in-Council, the bishopric was constituted.


It originally covered the historic hundreds of Salford, Blackburn, Leyland and Amounderness. However, with the foundation of the Diocese of Blackburn in 1926, which took the three northern hundreds, Manchester was left with just the hundred of Salford. The final boundary change to the diocese was by annexing Wythenshawe from the Diocese of Chester.

At the same time the diocese was founded, the collegiate church in Manchester was elevated to cathedral status to become the Cathedral Church of St Mary, St Denys and St George where the bishop's throne (cathedra) is located.

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