Bishop of Bath and Wells

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The Bishop of Bath and Wells is the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Bath and Wells in the Church of England. The bishop sits at Wells Cathedral (Cathedral Church of Saint Andrew) in Wells, and the residence is the Bishop’s Palace, Wells. The diocese covers most of Somerset and a small part of Dorset.

History in brief:
- Wells became the seat of a bishop in 909.
- In 1090 Bath joined the see, so the title became Bishop of Bath and Wells.
- In 1197 the seat moved to Glastonbury with papal approval, but in 1219 the claim to Glastonbury ended and the seat returned to Bath.
- The official title was settled as Bishop of Bath and Wells in 1245.
- Bath Abbey was rebuilt around 1500 by Bishop Oliver King; Bath Priory was dissolved in 1539.
- The last bishop in communion with Rome was deprived in 1559; since then, the see has remained part of the Church of England.

Other notes:
- The bishop has the ceremonial right, with the Bishop of Durham, to escort the sovereign at the coronation.
- In 2013-2014 there was controversy over plans to buy the Old Rectory in Croscombe for the bishop’s residence; the decision was overturned in 2014.

The diocese is part of the Anglican Communion. The title and see have also appeared in various works of fiction and comedy.