The Prime Minister’s Office has announced that the next Bishop of Ely is to be the Right Reverend Sarah Clark, currently suffragan Bishop of Jarrow. Ely diocese has this item about the appointment and Durham has this.
Appointment of Bishop of Ely: 27 January 2026
The King has approved the nomination of the Right Reverend Sarah Elizabeth Clark, for election as Bishop of Ely.
From: Prime Minister’s Office, 10 Downing Street
Published 27 January 2026The King has approved the nomination of the Right Reverend Sarah Clark, Suffragan Bishop of Jarrow in the Diocese of Durham, for election as Bishop of Ely, in succession to the Right Reverend Stephen David Conway, following his translation to the See of Lincoln.
Background
Sarah was educated at Loughborough University and prior to ordination worked as a civil servant within the Department of Employment. She trained for ministry at St. John’s College, Nottingham. She served her title at St. James Porchester, in the Diocese of Southwell and Nottingham, and was ordained Priest in 1999.
In 2002, Sarah was appointed Rector of the United Benefice of Carlton-in-Lindrick and Langold with Oldcotes and, from 2009, she served as Team Rector of the Clifton Team Ministry in Nottingham. In 2011 Sarah became an honorary Canon of Southwell Minster and took on the additional role of Dean of Women’s Ministry. From 2014 she served as Archdeacon of Nottingham.
In 2019, Sarah took up her current role as Suffragan Bishop of Jarrow and, since 2024, she has additionally served as Acting Diocesan Bishop of Durham since The Right Reverend Paul Butler’s retirement from that See.
Thrilled with this nomination. I served on the Bishop’s Advisory Group when she was nominated for +Jarrow in 2019. This is good news, both for +Sarah and for the Diocese of Ely.