Bishop of Durham

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The bishop of Durham is head of the diocese of Durham in the province of York. The diocese is one of the oldest in England and its bishop is invariably a member of the House of Lords. The current bishop, in office since 29 April 2026, is the Right Reverend Richard Simpson (formerly Archdeacon of Auckland). The bishop is officially styled The Right Reverend (First Name), by Divine Providence Lord Bishop of Durham, but this full title is rarely used. In signatures, the bishop's family name is replaced by Dunelm, from the Latin name for Durham (the Latinised form of Old English Dunholm). In the past, bishops of Durham varied their signatures between Dunelm and the French Duresm. Prior to 1836 the bishop had significant temporal powers over the liberty of Durham and later the county palatine of Durham. The bishop, with the bishop of Bath and Wells, escorts the sovereign at the coronation. Durham Castle was a residence of the bishops from its construction in the 11th century until 1832, when...

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