Episcopal Signatures
Preserved but no longer current.
It is the custom of bishops of the Church of England to sign themselves with their Christian name and name of their see. In some of the older dioceses the Latin form is used, sometimes abbreviated * — Cantuar: Canterbury Roffen: Rochester. Winton: Winchester. Sarum: Salisbury. Cicestr: Chichester. Truron: Truro. Exon: Exeter. Ebor- York.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Episcopal Signatures” mean?
It is the custom of bishops of the Church of England to sign themselves with their Christian name and name of their see. In some of the older dioceses the Latin form is used, sometimes abbreviated * — Cantuar: Canterbury Roffen: Rochester. Winton: Winchester. Sarum: Salisbury. Cicestr: Chichester. Truron: Truro. Exon: Exeter. Ebor- York.
Is “Episcopal Signatures” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.