Mark Rylands

Rylands was born on 11 July 1961, the son of Michael Rylands and Denise née Bates.[2] Michael was sometime Vicar of Wilton, Wiltshire, Rector of Malpas, Cheshire and honorary canon of Chester[3][lower-alpha 1][3] and Denise a scion of the Bates baronets (of Bellefield): her grandfather was Edward, 2nd Baronet.[6] He was educated at Shrewsbury School and the College of St Hild and St Bede, Durham University, the latter whence he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in 1983. He trained for the ministry at Trinity College, Bristol, gaining a second BA in 1987;[7] and later studied for a Master of Arts degree from Sheffield University, which he was awarded in 2006. Mark married in 1986 and they have two adult children;[2] his wife is also a priest.[lower-alpha 2]

He was made a deacon at Petertide 1987 (27 June)[11] and ordained a priest the Petertide following (3 July 1988) — both times by Michael Baughen, Bishop of Chester, at Chester Cathedral;[12] he began his ministerial career with a title post as assistant curate at St George's Heaviley, Stockport[13] (1987–1991); he was then Vicar of Acton and Worleston, Church Minshull and Wettenhall, Cheshire (1991–1997). He moved to Somerset in 1997 to serve as Team Rector for the Langport Team Ministry[2] (Aller, Drayton, High Ham with Low Ham, Huish Episcopi, Long Sutton, Muchelney, and Pitney); then from 2002[7] until his appointment to the episcopate[14] he was Diocesan Missioner for the Diocese of Exeter and a Canon Residentiary at Exeter Cathedral.[15]

• The Reverend Mark Rylands (1988–2002)
• The Reverend Canon Mark Rylands (2002–2009)
• The Right Reverend Mark Rylands (2009–present)