David Ramsay Lunn (17 July 1930 – 19 July 2021) was a British Anglican bishop. From 1980 to 1997, he was Bishop of Sheffield in the Church of England.[1]


David Lunn
Bishop of Sheffield
DioceseDiocese of Sheffield
In office1980–1997 (retired)
PredecessorGordon Fallows
SuccessorJack Nicholls
Other post(s)Honorary assistant bishop in York (1998–2021)
Orders
Ordination1955 (deacon); 1956 (priest)
Consecrationc. 1980
Personal details
Born(1930-07-17)July 17, 1930
Died19 July 2021(2021-07-19) (aged 91)
DenominationAnglican
Alma materKing's College, Cambridge

Lunn was born on Tyneside and educated at the Kings School, Tynemouth, where he was head boy in 1947, and King's College, Cambridge.[2][3][4]

An Anglo-Catholic, he was opposed to the ordination of women, seeing it as an issue that needed examination at an ecumenical level. During his episcopacy, he oversaw an increase in lay ministry within the diocese, but also increased the number of clergy and improved the diocese's financial position. The period also saw the creation of the Nine O'Clock Service within one of the diocese's churches. Initially this seemed to be a successful attempt to broaden the appeal of the church, but in the end the project collapsed and required strong leadership from Lunn to heal the resulting wounds. Following the Hillsborough Disaster, he implemented the clergy disaster plan to improve the church's response to such disasters in future.[2]

In 1997 Lunn was awarded an honorary LL.D. degree by Sheffield University.[5] After retirement, during which he settled at Wetwang, he became an assistant bishop in the Diocese of York in 1991.[6]

Works edit

Lunn wrote a multi-volume history of the area covered by the diocese including Rivers, Rectors and Abbots and Kings, Canals and Coal.[7]

A keen gardener, he also wrote the booklet Roses Wild: A little book by the Bishop of Sheffield concerning the roses in his garden at Bishopscroft.

References edit

  1. ^ "The Passing Of The Rt Revd David Lunn". Sheffield Cathedral. 22 July 2021. Retrieved 19 August 2021.
  2. ^ a b A Brief Synopsis Of Previous Bishops Of The See Of Sheffield Archived 25 October 2008 at the Wayback Machine, Tony Beck, Diocese of Sheffield. Retrieved on 30 October 2008.
  3. ^ "No. 48028". The London Gazette. 13 December 1979. p. 15699.
  4. ^ "No. 54888". The London Gazette. 9 September 1997. p. 10205.
  5. ^ "Honorary Graduates" (PDF). Sheffield University. p. 8. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
  6. ^ "Lunn, David Ramsay". Who's Who. Vol. 2014 (December 2013 online ed.). A & C Black. Retrieved 23 August 2014. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  7. ^ Thorne and District Gazette—'Snippets' of Yesteryear—The Battle of Hatfield Archived 5 September 2008 at the Wayback Machine, Ben Brown, Thorne-Moorends Town Council. Retrieved on 28 October 2008.
Religious titles
Preceded by Bishop of Sheffield
1980–1997
Succeeded by