What is the Diocese?

The Diocese of Truro is one of 44 dioceses in the Church of England. It covers an area of approximately 1,370 square miles, and includes parishes in the whole of Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.

About 145 stipendiary - or paid - clergy & some 40 non stipendiaries offer spiritual and pastoral care in the parishes, together with retired clergy, Readers, local ministry teams & other lay ministers.

The 15th Bishop of Truro, and the focus for unity in the Diocese, is the Rt Revd Tim Thornton,  who was welcomed to his new Diocese in March 2009.  The Bishop shares his Episcopal oversight with the Suffragan Bishop of St Germans, the Rt Revd Roy Screech. As well as the two Bishops, the Dean, the two Archdeacons and the Diocesan Secretary form the Bishop's staff.

In the city of Truro, The Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary is the first new cathedral to be built in Britain since the golden age of cathedral building in the middle ages. Designed by John Loughborough Pearson it was built in 1877 in the Gothic Revival architectural style fashionable during the period, and is one of only three cathedrals in the United Kingdom with three spires.

The Diocese is divided into two pastoral administrative areas, called Archdeaconries, and each of these contains a number of Deaneries, or groups of parishes.  The Diocesan Office in Truro acts as a resource centre supporting the parishes of the Diocese and their communities. This help can include support and/or advice with:

• Social responsibility
• Finance
• Schools
• Mission
• Buildings
• Future planning
• Publications and publicity
• Grant applications
• Disability Issues
• Land & property management

The administration of the Diocese is undertaken by the staff at the Diocesan Office in Truro, Diocesan House, Kenwyn Truro TR1 1JQ

Tel: 01872 274351  or click here to send us an email. Please make sure to select General Information from the dropdown menu.