On the 28th of January 2026, history was made when Dame Sarah Mullally was confirmed as the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury, becoming the first woman to ever hold the office in its 1,400-year history. This appointment marked a seismic shift for the Church of England, a role that had been exclusively male since Augustine of Canterbury arrived in 597. The previous incumbent, Justin Welby, who served as the 105th archbishop from 2013 until his resignation effective the 7th of January 2025, had paved the way for this historic transition. Welby, who signed his official documents as + Justin Cantuar, announced his decision to step down on the 12th of November 2024, ending a tenure that saw him navigate the church through intense cultural debates and global crises. The selection of Mullally, a former nurse and hospital chief executive, signaled a new era of leadership that prioritized pastoral care and administrative experience alongside theological orthodoxy. Her confirmation broke a centuries-old glass ceiling, challenging the traditional structures of the Anglican Communion and setting a precedent for future appointments that would alternate between Anglo-Catholic and Evangelical traditions.
The Apostle To The English
The story of the archbishopric begins not with a king, but with a missionary sent from Rome to a pagan land. In 597, Augustine of Canterbury arrived in Kent, having been dispatched by Pope Gregory the Great to convert the Anglo-Saxons. He was not the first Christian to set foot in Britain, but he was the first to establish a permanent episcopal seat that would endure for over a millennium. Augustine was accepted by King Aethelberht of Kent, who had married a Christian Frankish princess named Bertha years before the mission arrived. The king permitted the preaching of Christianity, and Augustine was eventually converted to the faith around 598, establishing the see in Canterbury rather than London due to specific political circumstances. The office of the archbishop has been occupied by the Chair of St Augustine ever since, a title that carries immense historical weight. A gospel book believed to be directly associated with Augustine's mission, known as the St Augustine Gospels, survives in the Parker Library at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge. This 6th-century manuscript, catalogued as Cambridge Manuscript 286, is still used today during the swearing-in ceremony of new archbishops, linking the modern office directly to its ancient origins. The book serves as a tangible bridge between the Roman province of Britannia and the modern Church of England, reminding every successor of the fragile beginnings of their authority.
The Crown And The Cross
The relationship between the Archbishop of Canterbury and the British monarch has been a complex dance of power, compromise, and occasional betrayal. Before the English Reformation, the archbishops were in full communion with the Catholic Church, serving as spiritual leaders under the Pope. The dynamic changed irrevocably when King Henry VIII broke communion with Rome and proclaimed himself the head of the Church of England. Thomas Cranmer, appointed in 1533, became the first Protestant archbishop and a central figure in the development of Anglicanism. Cranmer's tenure was marked by the dissolution of the monasteries and the forfeiture of several palaces, including Otford Palace and Knole House, to the Crown. The appointment process evolved over centuries; since Henry VIII, the archbishops have been selected by the English monarch, later the British monarch following the Act of Union in 1707. In practice, however, candidates are chosen by the Crown Nominations Commission, a Church of England body that advises the prime minister. This system ensures that the appointment is a political and ecclesiastical compromise, balancing the needs of the state with the spiritual requirements of the church. The archbishop is appointed by the British monarch on the advice of the prime minister and formally elected by the college of canons of Canterbury Cathedral, creating a unique dual authority that has persisted for nearly five hundred years.
The Archbishop of Canterbury holds a position of immense influence that extends far beyond the diocese of Canterbury, which covers the eastern parts of the County of Kent. As the senior primate and chief religious figure of the Church of England, the archbishop chairs the General Synod alongside the Archbishop of York, though power in the church is not highly centralized. The two archbishops often lead only through persuasion, relying on their moral authority rather than legal command. The archbishop is also the spiritual leader of the Anglican Communion, recognized by convention as first among equals of all Anglican primates worldwide. Since 1867, the archbishop has convened approximately decennial meetings of worldwide Anglican bishops, known as the Lambeth Conferences, which serve as a crucial forum for global dialogue. Despite having no legal authority outside England, the archbishop plays a central part in national ceremonies such as coronations and holds a high public profile that invites constant media scrutiny. The office is one of the five great sees, and the archbishop is ex officio one of the Lords Spiritual of the House of Lords, making them one of the highest-ranking people in England and the highest-ranking non-royal in the United Kingdom's order of precedence. This status places the archbishop immediately below the sovereign and members of the royal family, and above the Lord Chancellor and the Archbishop of York.
Palaces And Penitents
The physical footprint of the Archbishop of Canterbury has shifted dramatically over the centuries, reflecting changes in political power and architectural fashion. The official residence and office in London is Lambeth Palace, which has served as the archbishop's home for centuries. The archbishop also maintains lodgings in the Old Palace, Canterbury, located beside Canterbury Cathedral, where the Chair of St Augustine sits. This apartment incorporates some 13th-century fabric of the medieval Archbishop's Palace, preserving a tangible link to the past. Former seats of the archbishops include Croydon Palace, which served as the summer residence from the 15th to the 18th centuries, and Addington Palace, purchased as a replacement in 1807 but sold in 1897. The Reformation saw the seizure of many of these properties by the Crown, including the Archbishop's Palace in Maidstone, constructed in the 1390s, and Otford Palace, which was forfeited to the Crown by Thomas Cranmer in 1537. Knole House, built by Archbishop Bourchier in the second half of the 15th century, was also forfeited to the Crown by Cranmer in 1538. These palaces were not merely residences but centers of political and religious power, often serving as venues for royal visits and diplomatic negotiations. The loss of these properties during the Reformation marked a significant reduction in the material wealth and influence of the archbishopric, forcing a shift in how the office was maintained and projected to the public.
The Global Voice Of Anglicanism
Beyond the borders of England, the Archbishop of Canterbury serves as a vital ecumenical and interfaith leader, speaking on behalf of Anglicans in England and worldwide. The office has played a crucial role in bridging the gap between Christianity and other faiths, as well as between different branches of Christianity. Geoffrey Fisher, the 99th archbishop, was the first since 1397 to visit Rome, where he held private talks with Pope John XXIII in 1960, signaling a thaw in relations between the Church of England and the Roman Catholic Church. In 2005, Rowan Williams became the first archbishop of Canterbury to attend a papal funeral since the Reformation, and he also attended the inauguration of Pope Benedict XVI. The 101st archbishop, Donald Coggan, was the first to attend a papal inauguration, that of Pope John Paul II in 1978. Since 2002, the archbishop has co-sponsored the Alexandria Middle East Peace process with the Grand Mufti of Egypt, demonstrating a commitment to international diplomacy. In July 2008, the archbishop attended a conference of Christians, Jews and Muslims convened by the king of Saudi Arabia, where delegates agreed on international guidelines for dialogue among the followers of religions and cultures. These efforts highlight the archbishop's role as a global peacemaker, using the office to foster understanding and cooperation across religious and cultural divides.
The Succession Of Souls
The history of the Archbishop of Canterbury is a chronicle of individual lives, each leaving a unique mark on the office. Since 1900, the list of archbishops includes figures like Frederick Temple, Randall Davidson, Cosmo Gordon Lang, William Temple, Geoffrey Fisher, Michael Ramsey, Donald Coggan, Robert Runcie, George Carey, Rowan Williams, and Justin Welby. A notable shift occurred in 1928 when Randall Davidson became the first to voluntarily resign his office, breaking a tradition that had held from 1660 to 1902 when all archbishops died in office. All successors except William Temple, who died in office in 1944, have also resigned their office before death. Until 2013, all archbishops who retired were immediately given peerages, initially hereditary baronies and later life peerages after the enactment of the Life Peerages Act 1958. These titles allowed retired archbishops to retain their seats in the House of Lords, which they held ex officio before their retirement. However, Justin Welby, who resigned in January 2025, has not received a peerage, marking a potential change in the tradition. The list of recent archbishops also includes the current 106th holder, Dame Sarah Mullally, who was confirmed on the 28th of January 2026. The succession of these men and women reflects the evolving nature of the office, adapting to the changing times while maintaining the core traditions of the Church of England.