The History of the Diocese

The Diocese of Sherborne was created in 705, when it was carved out of the bishopric of the West Saxons. The first Bishop of Sherborne was Saint Aldhelm. In 909, the Diocese of Ramsbury was carved out of the north-western portion of the Diocese of Winchester. In 1058, Herman, Bishop of Ramsbury, was elected as Bishop of Sherborne, and the two sees were combined under his personal oversight and, in 1078, Saint Osmund was appointed to the combined dioceses of Sherborne and Ramsbury and moved the see to Salisbury.

In 1836 Dorset was added in 1836 with the abolition of the Diocese of Bristol and Berkshire was removed and added to the Diocese of Oxford.

In 1925, a suffragan bishop was appointed to assist the Bishop of Salisbury and was titled Bishop of Sherborne. In 1974, an additional suffragan was appointed, and titled Bishop of Ramsbury. In 2009 the formal area scheme revoked and replaced by collegiate scheme of delegated authority from the Diocesan Bishop whereby in many matters, the Bishop of Sherborne ministers in the part of the diocese that lies in Dorset, and the Bishop of Ramsbury in that which is in Wiltshire.

Bishop David Stancliffe, who retired in July 2010, was the 77th bishop of the Diocese.