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Ecclesiastical province Canterbury
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Established 1109
Cathedral Ely Cathedral

The Bishop of Ely is a very important leader in the Church of England. They are in charge of the Diocese of Ely, which is like a special church district. This district mainly covers the county of Cambridgeshire, plus a small part of north-west Norfolk. The Bishop's main church, called their "seat," is the amazing Ely Cathedral in the City of Ely.

For a long time, the bishops lived in the old Bishop's Palace in Ely. But since 1941, they have lived in Bishop's House. The history of the Ely area is very old. It was once owned by Saint Etheldreda, a famous saint. Before it became a cathedral, the church in Ely was first a convent (a place for religious sisters) and then a monastery (a place for monks). It was led by an abbess (for the sisters) and later an abbot (for the monks).

The convent was started in 673. Saint Etheldreda was buried there after she died in 679. She is remembered as a great saint. Sadly, the monastery and much of Ely were destroyed by Viking invaders around 869 or 870. A new Benedictine monastery was built in 970 by Saint Athelwold, who was the Bishop of Winchester. This was part of a big effort to rebuild monasteries across England.

In 1086, the Abbot of Ely was mentioned as an important landowner in the Domesday Book. The monastery became a cathedral in 1109. This happened when a new Diocese of Ely was created from land that used to be part of the Diocese of Lincoln. From that time on, the line of Bishops of Ely began.

History of Ely and its Bishops

The earliest mention of Ely comes from a writer named Venerable Bede. He wrote that Ely was like an island, surrounded by marshes and water. It got its name because of the many eels found in those marshes!

In 649, this area was given to Saint Æthelthryth. She was the daughter of Anna, who was the King of the East Angles. She received it as a gift when she married. Later, she became a nun. In 673, she returned to Ely and started a monastery where the cathedral stands today. She gave all her land in the Isle of Ely to the monastery. This land later gave the Bishops of Ely their power and wealth.

Æthelthryth died in 679, and her shrine became a popular place for people to visit. In 870, the monastery was destroyed by the Danes. It had been led by four sainted abbesses: Æthelthryth, her sister Seaxburgh, Seaxburgh's daughter Ermenilda, and Ermenilda's daughter Werburgh. It's thought that there were both monks and nuns there. But when King Edgar and Ethelwold rebuilt the monastery in 970, it was only for monks.

The monastery did very well for over a hundred years. Around 1105, the Abbot Richard suggested creating the See of Ely. This would help manage the very large Diocese of Lincoln. The Pope officially created the new bishopric on November 21, 1108. Then, on October 17, 1109, King Henry I gave his approval. The first bishop was Hervé le Breton, who had been the Bishop of Bangor.

Because the bishops took over the lands of Saint Etheldreda, they had great power and wealth. Many Bishops of Ely held important jobs in the government. This included eight Lord Chancellors and six Lord Treasurers. The Bishops of Ely spent a lot of their money on their cathedral. This is why Ely Cathedral shows examples of Gothic architecture from many different time periods. The bishops also had palaces in other places, like Wisbech and a London home called Ely Place.

Some important bishops include:

During the time of Bishop Thomas Goodrich, the monastery was closed down as part of the English Reformation. The last bishop who was part of the Roman Catholic Church was Thomas Thirlby. After the Reformation, famous bishops included Lancelot Andrewes and Matthew Wren.

Leaders Before the Bishops

Before the Bishops of Ely, the church in Ely was led by abbesses and abbots.

Abbesses of the Convent (673–870)

Abbots of the Benedictine Monastery (970–1109)

  • Brythnoth (970–996/999)
  • Ælfsige (996/999–1016)
  • Wulfric (1044 or 1045–1066)
  • Thurstan (–1072) – the last Saxon abbot
  • Simeon (1082–1094) – he started building the cathedral
  • Richard FitzRichard de Clare (1100–1107) – the last abbot

Bishops of Ely (1109–Present)

Since 1109, Ely has been led by a Bishop. Here are some of the important bishops throughout history:

Early Bishops (Pre-Reformation)

  • Hervey le Breton (1109–1131): He was the very first Bishop of Ely. He came from being the Bishop of Bangor.
  • Nigel (1133–1169)
  • Geoffrey Ridel (1174–1189)
  • Hugh de Balsham (1258–1286): He founded Peterhouse, the first college at Cambridge University.
  • John Hotham (1316–1337): He rebuilt the famous Octagon at Ely Cathedral.
  • John Alcock (1486–1500): He founded Jesus College, Cambridge.

Bishops During the Reformation

  • Thomas Goodrich (1534–1554): He was bishop during the time when the Church of England separated from the Roman Catholic Church.
  • Thomas Thirlby (1554–1559): He was the last bishop of Ely who was in communion with the Roman Catholic Church.

Bishops After the Reformation

  • Richard Cox (1559–1581)
  • Lancelot Andrewes (1609–1619): A very well-known scholar and preacher.
  • Matthew Wren (1638–1646, 1660–1667): He was bishop during a time of great change in England. He was removed from his position when the English Parliament abolished bishops, but was restored later.
  • Peter Gunning (1675–1684)
  • Simon Patrick (1691–1707): He gave land to help provide clothing for the poor.
  • Stephen Conway (2010–2023): The most recent Bishop of Ely.
  • Dagmar Winter (acting since 2023): She is currently acting as the main bishop while a new one is chosen.

Assistant Bishops

Some bishops have also served as "assistant bishops" to help the main Bishop of Ely. These include:

  • Noel Hodges (1907–1914)
  • Horace Price (1919–1941)
  • Gordon Walsh (1942–1971)

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