He told BBC News he felt it was time to move on.

He said: "It has been something that has been rumbling around in my mind and heart for a couple of years.

"I will have done nearly 20 years as a bishop. It is the sort of time that you ought to be moving on."

During his time as archbishop Dr. Hope has aligned himself with traditionalists in the Anglican church.

'God's gift'

He has opposed the ordination of women and has warned that the internet could limit human interactions.

He said St Margaret's in Ilkley, a town of around 5,500 people, was attractive to him because of the "traditional values" of its people.

"Clearly I sympathise with their background. I'm looking forward to it. It is clearly a change and a challenge," he said.

"I thought it would be good to conclude my ministry where I began - as a parish priest," he added.

Archbishop of Canterbury Dr. Rowan Williams described Dr. Hope as "unfailingly effective" and "one of God's great gifts to the church".

Dr. Williams said: "In every post he has filled he has brought to bear a deep common sense, a complete unpompous attitude, a ready sympathy for all and an irrepressible dead-pan humour.

"I shall miss him more than I can easily say, as a colleague whose wise advice and constant support have made a huge difference to my own ministry."

He added: "Everyone in the Church of England will want to wish him all good things in the next stage of his ministry."

BBC correspondent Jane Little said Dr. Hope has made no secret of his desire to return to what he has called the "real ministry" of parish practice.

She said: "Dr. Hope, as an opponent of women priests, has had the support of traditionalists within the church and some have seen him as a counterweight to the more liberal Archbishop of Canterbury.

"His departure could not come at a more sensitive time for the embattled church."

Dr. Hope, 64, can continue as a parish priest until the age of 70.

END

'Take A Stand on Gay Clergy'
Traditionalists Urge Successor

By Pat Hurst, PA News.

8/1/2004

A new Archbishop of York must stand firm on the divisive issue of gay clergy, traditionalists in the Church of England said today.

The present Archbishop David Hope famously described his own sexuality as a "grey area" when confronted by Peter Tatchell's gay right's group Outrage.

Crucially for the church he also said he led a celibate life.

At the time he was the Bishop of London and the leading opponent of women priests. He went on to become the Archbishop of York.

Today Reverend Rod Thomas, a spokesman for Reform, an evangelical group on the traditional wing of the Church opposed to gay priests, said: "He was someone who played to different parts of the church.

"He has a slightly mixed history. What is crucial is not looking back but looking forwards.

"In many ways the out going Archbishop has been a friend to evangelicals and to anybody that believes in orthodox Christian church.

"The question for the future is, who will succeed him? It is vital the person who succeeds him clearly stands by the authority of the bible."

Richard Kirker, a spokesman for Lesbian and Gay Christians, said: "I think his contribution has been ambiguous at best."

Mr Kirker, a former curate in the Church of England, said the appointment of the next archbishop may be a liberal in the same way of thinking as the current Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams.

"It is widely believed that David Hope was largely responsible for Rowan Williams' appointment and got his way.

"I think that if Rowan Williams were now to find that his number two was antagonistic towards opening up these issues then he would be put in a very difficult position.

"The Archbishop of Canterbury would not be well served by David Hope's successor being a person with any homophobic views.

"He would have to be a masochist to wish to have as his closest working colleague someone who fundamentally disagreed with him."

END