Ethan Walker
The Catholic Church is made up of dioceses, or geographical areas, each of which is headed by a bishop. The bishop of a more important city or historically significant place is given the title of Archbishop to indicate seniority or honour. In England, there is one Catholic Archbishop of Westminster, who is the metropolitan of the Province of Westminster and the chief metropolitan of England and Wales. He is also, by custom, elected president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales and is therefore the de facto spokesman of the Catholic Church in England and Wales. In addition to the Archbishop of Westminster, there are also Catholic Archbishops of Birmingham, Liverpool, and Southwark. In comparison, the Church of England has 42 bishops and two archbishops: the Archbishops of Canterbury and York.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of Catholic Archbishops in England | 3 (Westminster, Liverpool, Southwark) |
| Archbishop of Westminster | His Eminence Cardinal Vincent Nichols |
| Archbishop of Liverpool | The Most Reverend John Sherrington |
| Archbishop of Southwark | The Most Reverend John Wilson |
| Archbishop of Canterbury | The Archbishop of Canterbury is the Church of England's most senior bishop, not the Catholic Church |
| Archbishop of York | The Archbishop of York is the second most senior bishop in the Church of England, not the Catholic Church |
| Number of Catholic Bishops in England and Wales | 21 |
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What You'll Learn
Who is the Archbishop of Canterbury?
The Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior primate and chief religious figure of the Church of England. The Archbishop, along with their colleague the Archbishop of York, chairs the General Synod and sits on or chairs many of the church's important boards and committees. The Archbishop of Canterbury is also the holder of one of the "five great sees", the others being York, London, Durham, and Winchester. As such, the Archbishop of Canterbury is ex officio one of the Lords Spiritual of the House of Lords. They are one of the highest-ranking people in England and the highest-ranking non-royal in the United Kingdom's order of precedence.
The Archbishop's main residence is Lambeth Palace in the London Borough of Lambeth. They also have lodgings in the Old Palace, Canterbury, located beside Canterbury Cathedral, where the Chair of St Augustine sits. The Archbishop plays a central part in national ceremonies such as coronations, and their opinions are often sought by the news media due to their high public profile. The Archbishop is also the spiritual leader of the Anglican Communion and is recognised as primus inter pares ("first among equals") of all Anglican primates worldwide.
The Archbishop of Canterbury is appointed by the British monarch on the advice of the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and is formally elected by the college of canons of Canterbury Cathedral. In practice, however, candidates are chosen by the Crown Nominations Commission, a Church of England body that advises the Prime Minister.
Justin Portal Welby GCVO, an Anglican bishop, served as the 105th Archbishop of Canterbury in the Church of England from 2013 to 2025. Welby's theology is seen as representing the "open evangelical" tradition within Anglicanism. He officiated at notable events such as the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II, and the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla. During his tenure, the Church of England ordained its first female bishop and approved blessings for same-sex unions. In November 2024, Welby announced his decision to resign as Archbishop of Canterbury after an independent review accused him of minimising the severity of abuse allegations within the Church.
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Who is the Archbishop of York?
The Archbishop of York is the second-highest-ranking bishop in the Church of England, after the Archbishop of Canterbury. The Archbishop of York is a current member of the House of Lords. The current Archbishop of York, the 98th to hold the position, is The Most Rev. and the Rt Hon. Stephen Geoffrey Cottrell.
Stephen Cottrell was born in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, in 1958 and was educated at Belfairs High School, Leigh-on-Sea, and the Polytechnic of Central London. He found faith as a teenager and was consecrated as Bishop of Reading in 2004, after serving as Canon Pastor of Peterborough Cathedral from 2001. He became Bishop of Chelmsford in 2010 and served there until he became Archbishop of York in 2020.
Stephen Cottrell is the author of more than 20 books, including children's books. He enjoys poetry, music, and art. He has undertaken several walking pilgrimages, including twice walking the Camino to Santiago de Compostela in Spain, as well as pilgrim routes in England. He has also chaired a group of bishops with an interest in the media and is one of the authors of the Church of England’s Pilgrim course, a major teaching and discipleship resource.
There are 42 bishops diocesan in the Church of England, including the Archbishops of Canterbury and York. In addition, there are 9 bishops suffragan, 5 from Canterbury province and 4 from York, for a total of 51 bishops in the Church of England.
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Who is the Archbishop of Westminster?
As of my last update in June 2025, there are five Catholic archbishops in England, each heading their own province. One of these is the Archbishop of Westminster, currently Vincent Nichols, who holds a significant position of leadership within the Catholic Church in England and Wales.
Archbishop Vincent Nichols was born in Liverpool in 1945 and was ordained as a priest in 1969. He has had a long and distinguished career in the Catholic Church, serving in various roles across the country. He was appointed as the Archbishop of Westminster in 2009 by Pope Benedict XVI, and in this role, he also became the President of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales. As the Archbishop of Westminster, he is the spiritual leader of the Catholic community in the province, which covers a large area of southern England, including London.
Throughout his ministry, Archbishop Nichols has been known for his strong commitment to social justice and interfaith dialogue. He has been actively involved in promoting better community relations, particularly in the wake of the 2005 London bombings, and has worked to build bridges between different faith communities. He has also been a vocal advocate for the poor and marginalized, often speaking out on issues of poverty, homelessness, and immigration. In recognition of his contributions, he was created a cardinal by Pope Francis in 2014, becoming the Cardinal-Priest of the Titulus Ss. Bonifacii et Alexis.
In addition to his pastoral work, Archbishop Nichols has written several books and numerous articles on a variety of topics, including the role of the Church in modern society, the importance of faith in public life, and the place of Catholicism in English culture and history. He is also a patron or supporter of several charities and organizations, reflecting his commitment to social justice and his desire to see the Church play an active role in serving the needs of the wider community.
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Who is the Archbishop of Liverpool?
The current Archbishop of Liverpool is John Sherrington, appointed by Pope Francis on the 5th of April 2025. He was installed as the tenth Archbishop of Liverpool on the 27th of May 2025 at the Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King. The Archbishop of Liverpool is the ordinary of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Liverpool and metropolitan of the Province of Liverpool, also known as the Northern Province. The Province of Liverpool covers an area of 1,165 km2 (450 sq mi) west of the County of Lancashire, south of the Ribble, Merseyside, Cheshire, Greater Manchester, and the Isle of Man. The Archbishop's residence is Archbishop's House, Salisbury Road, Liverpool.
There is also a Bishop of Liverpool, who is the ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Liverpool in the Province of York. This position is currently held by John Perumbalath, who is on leave pending his retirement following accusations of sexual misconduct. An Interim Bishop of Liverpool, Ruth Worsley, will take on the role for two years starting in 2025.
The Diocese of Liverpool was founded in 1880 under Queen Victoria and includes the hundreds of West Derby, Leyland, Amounderness, and Lonsdale in Lancashire, as well as the Isle of Man. In its early years, the diocese was a suffragan see of the Archdiocese of Westminster, but it gained the status of a metropolitan archdiocese in 1911. There are 42 bishops in the Church of England, with 21 of them sitting in the House of Lords as Lords Spiritual ex officio.
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Who is the Archbishop of Southwark?
The Archbishop of Southwark is the ordinary of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Southwark. The Archbishop is the Metropolitan of the Province of Southwark, which covers an area of 3,000 km2 (1,200 sq mi) across the London Boroughs south of the Thames, the county of Kent, and the Medway Unitary Authority. The Metropolitan See is in Southwark, where the archbishop's seat is located at St George's Cathedral.
The eleventh and current Archbishop of Southwark is John Wilson, who was appointed on 10 June 2019 and installed on 25 July 2019. Wilson succeeded the Rt Revd Christopher Chessun, who was enthroned at Southwark Cathedral on 6 March 2011 as the 10th Bishop of Southwark.
The Diocese of Southwark was created on 29 September 1850 and originally covered the historic counties of Surrey, Berkshire, Hampshire, Kent, Sussex, the Isle of Wight, and the Channel Islands. The first bishop of the new diocese was Thomas Grant, who was consecrated on 6 July 1851. Grant was succeeded by James Danell, Robert Coffin, John Butt, and Francis Bourne, who was named Archbishop of Westminster in 1903.
The Diocese of Southwark lost territory on multiple occasions, first with the creation of the Diocese of Portsmouth in 1882, and again in 1965 with the establishment of the Diocese of Arundel and Brighton. On the same day that the Diocese of Arundel and Brighton was created, the diocese of Southwark was elevated to an archdiocese when the ecclesiastical province of Southwark was established.
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Frequently asked questions
There are four Catholic Archbishops in England: the Archbishop of Birmingham, the Archbishop of Liverpool, the Archbishop of Southwark, and the Archbishop of Westminster.
The Catholic Archbishop of Birmingham is the Most Reverend Bernard Longley.
The Archbishop of Liverpool is the Most Reverend John Sherrington.
The Archbishop of Southwark is the Most Reverend John Wilson.
The Catholic Archbishop of Westminster is His Eminence Cardinal Vincent Nichols. He was installed as the 11th Archbishop of Westminster on 21 May 2009.
