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Old disciple beheaded in diocese (6)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

exeter

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'diocese' is the definition.
Both the definition and answer are singular nouns.
Maybe there's a link between them I don't understand?

'old disciple beheaded' is the wordplay.
'old' becomes 'ex' (prefix meaning former or onetime).
'disciple' becomes 'peter' (a disciple of Jesus).
'beheaded' means to remove the first letter (the head of the word is removed).
'peter' with its initial letter taken away is 'eter'.
'ex'+'eter'='EXETER'

'in' acts as a link.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for exeter that I've seen before include "English university city" , "Oxford college; city" , "SW English city" , "English cathedral city" , "Administrative centre of Devon" .)

I've seen this clue in The Telegraph and The Sun.
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