Bishop has date for historic move

The bishop is moving out of the shadow of Ripon Cathedral

The Bishop of Ripon and Leeds will end his 172-year link with Ripon when he moves to Leeds in a month's time.

The Rt Rev John Packer wants to switch his home to Leeds because almost 500,000 of the 786,000 people in the diocese live there.

He said he would move to Hollin House, in Weetwood, Leeds, on 28 August, four years after originally announcing his plans to relocate.

The bishop's home has been in Ripon since the diocese was formed in 1836.

Bat run

Bishop Packer said he was leaving his current home, Bishop Mount, "with regret".

He said: "It has been a good home for bishops since the second world war."

But he said the move was right "for the whole mission of the Church of England throughout the diocese".

He said the Bishop of Knaresborough lived north of Ripon and the Dean and Canons would continue to serve the diocese from Ripon Cathedral.

The move to Hollin House was delayed while planning permission was sought for its outbuildings to be converted into office space.

Structural renovations have taken place and a bat run has been created in the roof space of an outbuilding, which is home to colonies of pipistrelle and long-eared bats.

The two species of bats are the most common found in Britain but are protected by law.