In 1960 his nomination to be the bishop of Portsmouth was approved by the Queen; his election was confirmed at St Mary-le-Bow on 24 March. He was consecrated a bishop the next day (Lady Day 1960) by Geoffrey Fisher, Archbishop of Canterbury at Westminster Abbey; although he had to wait a further 7 years for elevation to the House of Lords. He resigned his bishopric in 1975 owing to ill health, and took a post running a small rural parish church in Dorset.