Diocese of Chelmsford

The Diocese of Chelmsford is a Church of England diocese, part of the Province of Canterbury. It was created on 23 January 1914 from part of the Diocese of St Albans. It covers Essex and part of East London. Since 1984 it is divided into three episcopal areas, each with its own area bishop. The diocese covers around 1500 sqmi with a population of more than 3 million. It has 463 parishes and 588 churches.

History
The diocese was created on 23 January 1914, as part of the provisions of the Bishoprics of Sheffield, Chelmsford and the County of Suffolk Act 1913. It covered the entire county of Essex and that part of Kent north of the River Thames (North Woolwich). The area had since 4 May 1877 been part of the Diocese of St Albans. Before 1 January 1846 the area was part of the Diocese of London and then the Diocese of Rochester.

Geographic area
The diocese covers a region of around 1500 sqmi and has a population of more than 3 million. It covers Essex and five East London boroughs of Barking and Dagenham, Havering, Newham, Redbridge, and Waltham Forest. The diocese has seen one of the strongest regenerations in Europe, which continues. The Thames Gateway, the M11 corridor, Stansted and Southend airports, Harwich, Tilbury, London Gateway, Purfleet ports and most of the housing built in connection with the London 2012 Olympics are in the diocese. It is co-terminous with the boundaries of the Catholic Diocese of Brentwood.

Organisation
The diocese of Chelmsford is overseen by the Bishop of Chelmsford. Since the area scheme was created in 1983 and inaugurated in January 1984, the diocese has been divided into three episcopal areas which are overseen by an area bishop. The diocese is divided further into archdeaconries, each divided into a number of deaneries.

The suffragan See of Colchester was created in 1882, for the Diocese of St Albans until 1914. Barking in 1901 also for St Albans, and Bradwell in 1968.

Bishops
Alongside the diocesan Bishop of Chelmsford (Guli Francis-Dehqani), the Diocese has three area (suffragan) bishops: Roger Morris, area Bishop of Colchester; Lynne Cullens, area Bishop of Barking; and Adam Atkinson, area Bishop of Bradwell.

Alternative episcopal oversight (for parishes in the diocese which reject the ministry of priests who are women) is provided by the provincial episcopal visitor, Norman Banks, Bishop suffragan of Richborough, who is licensed as an honorary assistant bishop of the diocese in order to facilitate his work there.

Churches
The diocese has 463 parishes and a total of 588 churches.