The office responsibility includes the care of clergy and church buildings within the area of the Archdeaconry of Oxford.
He was one of eight archdeacons appointed by the bishop: Lincoln, Huntingdon, Northampton, Leicester, Buckingham, Bedford and Stow.
In the Henrican Reorganization, the archdeaconry was transferred to the newly-erected Diocese of Oxford in 1546.
In 2013 and 2014, the Diocese of Oxford discussed and resolved to undertake some pastoral alterations; the new archdeaconry of Dorchester was created on 1 March 2014.
[22] It was announced in February 2023 that David Tyler would become the next Archdeacon of Dorchester;[23] he was so collated on 18 March 2023.