The Diocese of Ely is a Church of England diocese in the Province of Canterbury. It is headed by the Bishop of Ely, who sits at Ely Cathedral in Ely. There is one suffragan (subordinate) bishop, the Bishop of Huntingdon. The diocese now covers the modern ceremonial county of Cambridgeshire (excluding the Soke of Peterborough) and western Norfolk. The diocese was created in 1109 out of part of the Diocese of Lincoln. The diocese is ancient, and the area of Ely was part of the patrimony of Saint Etheldreda. A religious house was founded in the city in 673. After her death in 679 she was buried outside the church, and her remains were later reburied inside, the foundress being commemorated as a great Anglian saint. The diocese has had its boundaries altered various times. From an original diocese covering the historic county of Cambridgeshire and the Isle of Ely, Bedfordshire and Huntingdonshire were added in 1837 from the Diocese of Lincoln, as was the Sudbury archdeaconry in Suffolk from the Diocese of Norwich. In 1914 Bedfordshire became part of the Diocese of St Albans, and western Suffolk became part of the Diocese of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich, whilst Ely took a western part of the Diocese of Norwich. Peterborough remains the seat of the Diocese of Peterborough. Today the diocese covers an area of 1507 sqmi. It has a population of 705,000 and comprises 209 benefices, 303 parishes and 335 churches with 145 stipendiary parochial clergy.

Bishops

The diocesan Bishop of Ely (vacant) is assisted by a Bishop suffragan of Huntingdon (Dagmar Winter). There are also four retired bishops living in the diocese who are licensed as honorary assistant bishops: Alternative episcopal oversight (for parishes in the diocese which reject the ministry of women priests and bishops) is provided by the provincial episcopal visitor, Norman Banks, Bishop suffragan of Richborough, who is licensed as an honorary assistant bishop of the diocese to facilitate his work there. The Bishop of Peterborough has also been commissioned as assistant bishop in the diocese so that he can exercise pastoral care in several old Huntingdonshire parishes now within the Peterborough unitary authority: including Stanground, Orton, Woodston, Yaxley and Fletton.

Archdeaconries and deaneries

The archdeaconry of Wisbech was active from 1915 to 2005. The following changes to deaneries have taken place:

Deaneries in 1851

In 1851 the diocese had the following rural deaneries:

• including Cathedral and St Peter's Ely

Churches

Outside deanery structures

Bourn Deanery

Closed churches in this area

Cambridge North Deanery

Churches in this area no longer used for regular worship

Cambridge South Deanery

1rededicated and rebuilt 1352; previously St Peter's-outside-Trumpington-Gates

Churches in this area no longer used for regular worship

Ely Deanery

Closed churches in the area

Fincham and Feltwell Deanery

1services held in village hall

Closed churches in the area

Fordham and Quy Deanery

1original chapel on site dedicated to St John

Closed churches in this area

1used as parish church from C16th until 1845 All Saints' church, Newmarket, was in this portion of the diocese until it was transferred to Suffolk in 1889. It was a chapelry to Woodditton until the 19th century. The chapelry of St Nicholas, Landwade, was also in this portion of the diocese until it was transferred to Suffolk.

Granta Deanery

Closed churches in this area

Huntingdon Deanery

Closed churches in the area

St Nicholas' Church, Swineshead, was historically in this portion of the Diocese of Ely, but moved to the Diocese of St Albans when it was transferred from Huntingdonshire to Bedfordshire. St James the Great, Thurning, was historically in this are, but moved to the Diocese of Peterborough when the parish was transferred wholly to Northamptonshire (the parish church was always in Northamptonshire).

March Deanery

1medieval chapel of St James demolished. Church of St Mary built 1854, demolished 1985. Church room built 2012.

Closed churches in the area

North Stowe Deanery

Closed churches in this area

St Ives Deanery

Closed churches in the area

St Neots Deanery

Closed churches in this area

Shingay Deanery

Closed churches in this area

Wisbech Lynn Marshland Deanery

Closed churches in this area

Yaxley Deanery

Closed churches in this area

Diocesan news publications

Dedications

Medieval churches (and chapelries)

Post-medieval churches