Stephen Pedley, a senior figure in the Church of England, has died at age 85. He served as bishop of Lancaster for seven years, beginning in 1998 and concluding in 2005. According to those who knew him, Pedley was characterized by his distinctive laughter and approachable demeanor, qualities that shaped his approach to religious leadership and pastoral work.
Pedley was born in Coventry to Geoffrey, a priest, and his wife, Muriel. He attended Marlborough school in Wiltshire before pursuing a history degree at Queens’ College, Cambridge. He subsequently trained for ordination at Ripon College Cuddesdon in Oxfordshire. Following his ordination in 1966, he held several positions within the Church of England, including curate roles at Liverpool parish church and Holy Trinity Coventry. He also served as a priest in Kitwe, Zambia, from 1971 to 1977.
Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Pedley held positions as vicar at Stockton, rector at Whickham, and residentiary canon at Durham Cathedral. From 1984 onward, he served as chaplain to Queen Elizabeth II. During his tenure as bishop of Lancaster, which was based in Blackburn, colleagues described him as deeply valued by those in his diocese. Following his retirement from the episcopal position, he became an honorary assistant bishop for the diocese of Newcastle.
Pedley married Mary Macdonald, a clergyman’s daughter and teacher, in 1970. He is survived by his wife, three children—Mark, Andrew, and Philippa—and six grandchildren. In his later years, the couple lived in Newbrough, Northumberland, overlooking the upper Tyne valley.
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