The Dean and Chapter of Westminster are the ecclesiastical governing body of Westminster Abbey, a collegiate church of the Church of England and royal peculiar in Westminster, Greater London. They consist of the dean and several canons meeting in chapter and are also (less frequently) known as the Dean and Canons of Westminster.
The first college of canons was established by letters patent on 17 December 1540 by Henry VIII. Under the Bishop of Westminster of the newly created Diocese of Westminster, there was a dean and 12 canons, six of whom were former monks of the abbey. They survived the dissolution of the diocese in 1550, becoming a second cathedral of the Diocese of London until 1556 when the college was dissolved by Mary I. The second college of canons was established on 21 May 1560 by Elizabeth I, this time as a royal peculiar. [1] From 16 November 1645 the dean and canons were dispersed, and a committee of the Lords and Commons from the Long Parliament governed. The dean and canons were restored on the Restoration in 1660.
As of 29 September 2022: [2]
Dean of Westminster | |
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David Hoyle | Dean of Westminster (since 16 November 2019) |
Canons Residentiary of Westminster | |
David Stanton | |
Anthony Ball |
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Jamie Hawkey | |
Tricia Hillas |
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Minor Canons [NB 1] | |
Mark Birch | |
Robert Latham | Minor Canon and Sacrist (since 19 September 2021) [11] |
Helena Bickley-Percival | Minor Canon and Chaplain (from 23 April 2024) [12] |
Receiver General [NB 2] | |
Paul Baumann | Receiver General and Chapter Clerk (since 24 November 2018 installation) [13] |
Today, the roles divided between the canons residentiary generally include: the sub-dean, who is second to the dean; the canon treasurer; the canon steward, who is responsible for the welcoming of visitors; canon theologian; the canon almoner; the Archdeacon of Westminster; and the rector of St Margaret's. Between and among the chapter of canons, roles can be and are reshuffled as desired. The minor canons are the precentor, the sacrist and, since 2016, the Abbey chaplain (not to be confused with the Speaker's Chaplain). Historically, other roles have included the Chaplain to the Speaker of the House of Commons ("Speaker's Chaplain" or "Chaplain to the Commons"), the Headmaster of Westminster School and the rector of St John's, Smith Square (also called St John the Evangelist, Westminster.)
The first a canon of each stall was appointed by Henry VIII in the foundation charter dated 17 December 1540. [14] Eight canons were deprived of their prebends by Mary I on 30 March 1554 and one resigned shortly after; only three remained in post. (See also: Marian exiles.)
Canons of the 1st Prebend
Canons of the 2nd Prebend
Canons of the 3rd Prebend
Canons of the 4th Prebend
Canons of the 5th Prebend
Canons of the 6th Prebend
| Canons of the 7th Prebend
Canons of the 8th Prebend
Canons of the 9th Prebend
Canons of the 10th Prebend
Canons of the 11th Prebend
Canons of the 12th Prebend
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Twelve canons were appointed (or re-appointed) by Elizabeth I at the refoundation of the secular chapter, 21 May 1560. [15]
Canons of the 1st Prebend
Canons of the 2nd Prebend
Canons of the 3rd Prebend
Canons of the 4th Prebend
Canons of the 5th Prebend
Canons of the 6th Prebend
| Canons of the 7th Prebend
Canons of the 8th Prebend
Canons of the 9th Prebend
Canons of the 10th Prebend
Canons of the 11th Prebend
Canons of the 12th Prebend
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The prebendaries admitted since the Restoration in 1660 have had no fixed stalls to their prebends, but upon any vacancy the new prebendary was installed in the lowest stall on the side where the vacancy happened, and not in the stall of him who died, or was promoted. [16] Since all but four (5th, 6th, 8th & 11th) prebends were vacant before 1660, it is not possible to assert that any particular succession of canons relates to any previous prebend except for those four.
A prebend at Westminster was highly sought after by the ecclesiastical establishment. The value of the prebend helped to enrich the salaries of some of the poorer bishops, who retained their prebends at Westminster whilst in office. Other distinguishing features of the Westminster chapter were the close links with Westminster School – thirteen headmasters were canons – and eleven members of the peerage or baronetage were members of the chapter at various times.
The Ecclesiastical Commissioners reports in 1835 and 1836 (as enacted in the statute 3 & 4 Queen Victoria c. 113) called for a reduction in the number of canons from twelve to six. Two of the remaining prebends were united with the rectories of St Margaret's, Westminster and St John's, Smith Square (which had already been held by a canon of no particular prebend for quite some time). The number of prebends was reduced further from six to five in 1890 on the resignation of Brooke Foss Westcott and from five to four in 1941 on the resignation of Russell Barry (rector of St John's).
Canons are listed here by succession, rather than by chronological order of appointment.
Canons in the succession of John Doughty
Canons in the succession of Walter Jones
Canons in the succession of Henry Killigrew
Canons in the succession of Richard Busby
Canons in the succession of John Sudbury
Canons in the succession of James Lamb
Canons in the succession of David Mitchel
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Canons in the succession of Francis Walsall
Canons in the succession of Herbert Thorndike
Canons in the succession of Charles Gibbs
Canons in the succession of Robert South
Canons in the succession of George Stradling
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The Archdeacon of London is a senior ecclesiastical officer in the Church of England. They are responsible for the eastern Archdeaconry of the Two Cities in the Diocese of London, an area without area bishop and, rather, overseen by the diocesan Bishop of London. The immediate western counterpart in this area is the Archdeacon(ry) of Charing Cross.
The Archdeacon of Oxford is a senior ecclesiastical officer in the Diocese of Oxford, England. The office responsibility includes the care of clergy and church buildings within the area of the Archdeaconry of Oxford.
The Archdeacon of Middlesex is a senior cleric in the Church of England, co-responsible for the Archdeaconry of "Middlesex", which mirrors the "Kensington" episcopal area of the Diocese of London — the other person responsible being the Bishop of Kensington.
The Archdeacon of Gloucester is a senior ecclesiastical officer in the Diocese of Gloucester, England whose responsibilities include the care of clergy and church buildings within the area of the Archdeaconry of Gloucester.
The Archdeacon of Leicester is a senior ecclesiastical officer in the Church of England Diocese of Leicester.
The Archdeacon of Stow and Lindsey is a senior ecclesiastical officer in the Church of England Diocese of Lincoln.
The Archdeacon of St Albans is an ecclesiastical post in the Church of England Diocese of St Albans in the Province of Canterbury.
The archdeacon of Rochester is a senior office-holder in the Diocese of Rochester, a division of the Church of England Province of Canterbury. Like other archdeacons, they are administrators in the diocese at large.
The post of Archdeacon of Chichester was created in the 12th century, although the Diocese of Sussex was founded by St Wilfrid, the exiled Bishop of York, in AD 681. The original location of the see was in Selsey. The see was moved to Chichester, in about 1075, by decree of the Synod of London. Currently, Luke Irvine-Capel is the Archdeacon.
The Archdeacon of Richmond and Craven is an archdiaconal post in the Church of England. It was created in about 1088 within the See of York and was moved in 1541 to the See of Chester, in 1836 to the See of Ripon and after 2014 to the See of Leeds, in which jurisdiction it remains today. It is divided into seven rural deaneries: Ewecross, Harrogate, Richmond, Ripon, Skipton, and Wensley, all in Yorkshire and Bowland in Lancashire.
The Archdeacon of Manchester is a senior ecclesiastical officer in the Church of England in Greater Manchester.
The Archdeacon of Lichfield is a senior cleric in the Diocese of Lichfield who is responsible for pastoral care and discipline of clergy in the Lichfield archdeaconry.
The Archdeacon of Sarum is a senior ecclesiastical officer within the Diocese of Salisbury, England. He or she is responsible for the disciplinary supervision of the clergy within the five area deaneries of the Sarum archdeaconry, which cover the geographical areas of Alderbury, Chalke, Salisbury, Heytesbury and Stonehenge.
The Archdeacon of Westmorland and Furness is a senior ecclesiastical officer within the Diocese of Carlisle. As such he or she is responsible for the disciplinary supervision of the clergy within its four rural deaneries: Barrow, Windermere, Kendal and Furness.
The Archdeacons in the Diocese of Southwark are senior clergy in the Church of England in South London and Surrey. They currently include: the archdeacons of Southwark, of Reigate and of Lewisham & Greenwich, the Archdeacon of Croydon and the archdeacons of Wandsworth and of Lambeth. Each one has responsibility over a geographical area within the diocese.
The Archdeacon of Leeds, previously Archdeacon of Ripon, is a senior ecclesiastical officer within the Diocese of Leeds. As such they are responsible for the disciplinary supervision of the clergy within the four deaneries making up the archdeaconry of Leeds. Until 2014, the post was in the Diocese of Ripon.
The Archdeacon of Ludlow is a senior ecclesiastical officer within the Diocese of Hereford. Prior to 1876 the post was known by its previous title of Archdeacon of Shropshire or alternatively as the Archdeacon of Salop in the Diocese of Hereford.
The archdeacons in the Diocese of Portsmouth are senior ecclesiastical officers in the Church of England in south-east Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. They currently include: the Archdeacon of the Meon, the Archdeacon of the Isle of Wight and the Archdeacon of Portsdown. Each one has responsibility over a geographical area within the diocese, providing organisational leadership and pastoral support to clergy within their area.
The Archdeacon of Malmesbury is a senior ecclesiastical officer within the English Diocese of Bristol. This officer holds responsibility for disciplinary supervision of the clergy within its four rural deaneries: Chippenham, Kingswood and South Gloucestershire, North Wiltshire and Swindon. Christopher Bryan has been the incumbent since 2019.
The Archdeacon of Sheffield and Rotherham is a senior ecclesiastical officer within the Diocese of Sheffield, responsible for the disciplinary supervision of the clergy within the six area deaneries.
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