 When Grindal held a visitation in 1576 of his province by commission, Bullingham was one of those appointed to visit the Diocese of Hereford.He was raised to the episcopate in 1581, being consecrated on 3 September of that year at Croydon to the see of Gloucester.He was allowed to hold the recently created bishopric of Bristol "in commendam" as well as the prebend of Norton in Hereford Cathedral, to which he was installed on 16 January 1582.