Dean and Chapter of Westminster explained
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.
Foundation
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.
Current chapter
As of 29 September 2022:[2]
| Dean of Westminster |
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| Dean of Westminster (since 16 November 2019) |
| Canons Residentiary of Westminster |
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| |
| |
| |
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| Minor Canons[3] |
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| |
| Robert Latham | Minor Canon and Sacrist (since 19 September 2021)[4] |
| Helena Bickley-Percival | Minor Canon and Chaplain (from 23 April 2024)[5] |
| Receiver General[6] |
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| Receiver General and Chapter Clerk
(since 24 November 2018 installation)[7] | |
- Knighton, C. S. & Mortimer, Richard. Westminster Abbey reformed: 1540–1640
- Web site: Abbey clergy. Westminster Abbey. 2 January 2021.
- The Minor Canons do not form part of the Chapter, but are nonetheless full-time clergy of the abbey.
- Web site: Order of Service: Evensong with installation of Sacrist and admission of Choristers . Westminster Abbey . 19 September 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220929220119/https://www.westminster-abbey.org/en/order-of-service?id=9376 . 29 September 2022 . 29 September 2022 .
- https://www.westminster-abbey.org/order-of-service?id=13366
- The Receiver General is a lay member of the abbey, and the clerk to the Dean and Chapter.
- Web site: Paul Baumann appointed Receiver General.
Roles within the chapter
See also: Dean of Westminster. 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.)
List of canons
First foundation (cathedral, 1540–1556)
The first a canon of each stall was appointed by Henry VIII in the foundation charter dated 17 December 1540.[8] 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
- 17 December 1540 – bef. 1547 (res.): Edward Layton
- 15 June 1547 – 30 March 1554 (deprived): Edward Keble
- 12 April 1554 – 26 September 1556: John Baker
Canons of the 4th Prebend
Canons of the 5th Prebend
- 17 December 1540 – 18 July 1552 (d.): William Bretten
- 30 July 1552 – 10 May 1554 (res.): Edmund Grindal, Precentor of St Paul's
- 28 May 1554 – 1554 (d.): John Moreman
- 11 September 1554 – 26 September 1556: John Smith
Canons of the 6th Prebend
Canons of the 7th Prebend
- 17 December 1540 – 30 March 1554 (deprived): Humphrey Parkyns/Charite (former monk)
- 18 May 1554 – 26 September 1556: Alphonso de Salinas
Canons of the 8th Prebend
Canons of the 9th Prebend
- 17 December 1540 – bef. 1546 (res.): Thomas Elfryde (former monk)
- 23 July 1546 – 30 March 1554 (deprived): Bernard Sandiforth
- 21 April 1554 – 26 September 1556: Henry Cole (also Provost of Eton; became Dean of St Paul's)
Canons of the 10th Prebend
- 17 December 1540 – 1541 (d.): John Rumney/Malvern (former monk)
- 26 November 1541 – 30 March 1554 (deprived): Edmund Weston
- 12 May 1554 – 26 September 1556: Thomas Wood
Canons of the 11th Prebend
- 17 December 1540 – 1544 (d.): William Harvye/Faythe (former monk)
- 28 November 1544 – 26 September 1556: Thomas Reynold
Canons of the 12th Prebend
- 17 December 1540 – 1549 (d.): Gerard Carleton (also Dean of Peterborough from 1543)
- 7 September 1549 – bef. 1551 (d.): Giles Eyer
- 20 October 1551 – 30 March 1554 (deprived): Thomas Birkhed
- 3 May 1554 – 26 September 1556: William Pye
The first secular chapter was abolished on 26 September 1556.
Second Foundation (Royal Peculiar, 1560–1660)
Twelve canons were appointed (or re-appointed) by Elizabeth I at the refoundation of the secular chapter, 21 May 1560.[9] Canons of the 1st Prebend
- 30 June 1560 – bef. 1566 (res.): William Barlow, Bishop of Chichester
- 20 April 1566 – 2 May 1585 (d.): Thomas Browne (sometime Sub-Dean; also Headmaster until 1570)
- 26 May 1585 – 27 February 1633 (d.): Thomas Montford
- 8 March 1633 – bef. 1652 (d.): Gabriel More
Canons of the 2nd Prebend
- 30 June 1560 – 16 November 1577 (d.): Humphrey Parkyns/Charite (former 7th canon)
- 23 April 1578 – 25 April 1587 (d.): John Reade
- 9 May 1587 – bef. 1609 (d.): Richard Wood
- 27 September 1609 – bef. 1626 (res.): Henry Caesar or Adelmare (also Dean of Ely from 1614)
- 10 January 1626 – bef. 1653 (d.): Thomas Wilson
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
Second Foundation (Royal Peculiar, since 1660)
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.[10] 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
- 5 July 1660 – 25 December 1672 (d.): John Doughty
- 11 January 1673 – 14 April 1683 (d.): John North
- 3 May 1683 – bef. 1691 (res.): Edward Felling
- 16 July 1691 – bef. 1707 (d.): Stephen Upman
- 17 October 1707 – 6 August 1711 (d.): Thomas Knipe, Headmaster
- 27 September 1711 – 7 March 1720 (d.): Jonathan Kimberley (also Dean of Lichfield from 1713)
- 11 May 1720 – 4 May 1750 (d.): Thomas Manningham (Yr), Speaker's Chaplain
- 2 November 1750 – bef. 1754 (res.): Philip Yonge (became a canon of St Paul's)
- 30 April 1754 – 26 November 1806 (d.): Richard Cope (Sir Richard Cope, Bt. after 1779)
- 1 January 1807 – 7 June 1828 (d.): Lord Henry Fitzroy
- 2 August 1828 – 12 August 1844 (d.): Henry Bayley, Archdeacon of Stow
- 26 October 1844 – 1869 (res.): Christopher Wordsworth (Archdeacon 1864–1868; became Bishop of Lincoln)
- 25 February 1869 – 16 November 1894 (d.): George Prothero (father of Sir George and Lord Ernle)
- 14 December 1894 – 1902 (res.): Charles Gore (became Bishop of Worcester)
- 3 March 1902 – 1906 (res.): James Welldon (previously Bishop of Calcutta, Metropolitan of India; became Dean of Manchester)
- 16 July 1906 – 17 June 1913 (d.): Samuel Barnett (Canon Steward from 1911)
- 31 July 1913 – 30 January 1931 (d.): Robert Charles (Archdeacon since 1919)
- 27 March 1931 – 29 May 1936 (d.): Percy Dearmer
- 2 September 1936 – 2 August 1938 (res.): Harold Costley-White (also Headmaster until 1936; became Dean of Gloucester)
- 1 October 1938 – 20 June 1940 (d.): William Elliott
- 23 August 1940 – 1941 (ret.): Hensley Henson (retired Bishop of Durham; earlier a canon in Stradling succession)
- 26 December 1941 – 1963 (ret.): Adam Fox (sometime Archdeacon)
- 24 January 1964 – 1 January 1968 (d.): Joost de Blank (previously Archbishop of Cape Town)
- 11 July 1968 – 1 September 1975 (res.): Ronald Jasper (also Archdeacon from 1974; became Dean of York)
- 1976–1987 (res.): Trevor Beeson (Treasurer 1978–1982; Rector of St Margaret's & Speaker's Chaplain from 1982; became Dean of Winchester)
- 1987–1997 (ret.): Colin Semper
- 1997–2004 (ret.): Michael Middleton, Canon Treasurer (also Almoner from 2000; afterwards a canon emeritus)
- 2005 – 31 July 2013 (ret.): Bob Reiss, Canon Treasurer and Almoner (also Sub-Dean from 2011)
- 5 October 2013 – present: David Stanton, Canon Treasurer (since 2013), Almoner (2013 - 2018), Sub-Dean (since before 21 October 2018) and Archdeacon of Westminster (before 17 June 2018[11] before 31 May 2022)
Canons in the succession of Walter Jones
Canonry suspended since 1890.
Canons in the succession of Henry Killigrew
Killigrew had previously been appointed, without effect, to the 12th prebend.
No successor appointed per the Victorian statutes.
Canons in the succession of Richard Busby
No successor appointed per the Victorian statutes.
Canons in the succession of John Sudbury
No successor appointed per the Victorian statutes.
Canons in the succession of James Lamb
From Jennings onwards, the canons in Lamb's stall were ex officio rectors of St John's, Smith Square.
Canonry suspended since 1941; St John's parish united to St Stephen's, Rochester Row on 24 November 1950.
Canons in the succession of David Mitchel
- 22 November 1881 – 23 January 1894 (d.): Thomas Rowsell
- 2 March 1894 – 2 August 1900 (d.): Charles Furse, Archdeacon (father of Charles; previously a canon in Lamb succession)
- 11 September 1900 – 1902 (res.): Armitage Robinson (previously a canon in Stradling succession; Rector of St Margaret's until 1900; afterwards Dean)
- 23 October 1902 – 15 December 1911 (res.): Henry Beeching (became Dean of Norwich)
- 21 December 1911 – 1919 (res.): Ernest Pearce (Treasurer 1912–1916; Archdeacon 1916–1918; Sub-Dean from 1918; became Bishop of Worcester)
- 27 June 1919 – 1921 (res.): William Temple (became Bishop of Manchester)
- 27 January 1921 – December 1936 (moved): Vernon Storr (Archdeacon from 1931; afterwards a canon in Stradling succession)
- 22 March 1937 – July 1963 (ret.): Stephen Marriott (Archdeacon, 1946–1951 & from 1959; Sub-Dean, 1951–1959)
- 3 May 1963 – 1973 (ret.): Max Warren, Sub-Dean
- 17 September 1973 – 1982 (res.): John Baker (Treasurer 1974–1978; Sub-Dean, Rector of St Margaret's & Speaker's Chaplain from 1978; became Bishop of Salisbury)
- 1982–1999 (ret.): Anthony Harvey (Sub-Dean from 1987; afterwards a canon emeritus)
- 2000–2003 (res.): Tom Wright, Canon Theologian (became Bishop of Durham)
- 2004–2011 (ret.): Nicholas Sagovsky, Canon Theologian (Sub-Dean from 2010)[15]
- 7 May 201130 September 2018 (ret.):[16] Vernon White, Canon Theologian (since 2011), Sub-Dean and Archdeacon (since 2016)[17]
- 19 January 2019present: Jamie Hawkey, Canon Theologian (since 2019)[18] and Almoner (since before 31 May 2021)
Canons in the succession of Francis Walsall
Vacancy of 2 years.
- 7 November 1838 – 7 July 1859 (d.): Temple Frere, Speaker's Chaplain
No successor appointed per the Victorian statutes.
Canons in the succession of Herbert Thorndike
Thorndike was appointed in succession to Matthew Nicholas, canon formerly of the 5th prebend.
No successor appointed per the Victorian statutes.
Canons in the succession of Charles Gibbs
Gibbs was appointed in succession to Peter Heylin, canon formerly of the 6th prebend.
- 21 May 1662 – 16 September 1681 (d.): Charles Gibbs
- 22 October 1681 – bef. 1687 (d.): William Sill
- 13 June 1687 – bef. 1694 (d.): George Berkeley
- 5 November 1694 – bef. 1697 (d.): William Payne
- 5 March 1697 – 29 June 1715 (d.): Richard Lucas
- 1715 – 28 March 1722 (d.): Robert Cannon
- 7 May 1722 – January 1725 (d.): John Mandeville, Dean of Peterborough
- 5 February 1725 – 16 November 1741 (d.): James Hargraves, Rector of St Margaret's (also Dean of Chichester from 1739)
- 30 November 1741 – 17 November 1754 (d.): Richard Bullock
- 13 May 1755 – 1762 (res.): John Oswald
- 1 July 1762 – 1 December 1772 (d.): Charles Burdett
- 26 December 1772 – 16 September 1781 (d.): Thomas Marriott
- 1 November 1781 – 18 May 1803 (d.): Robert Finch, Rector of St John's
- 31 May 1803 – 29 September 1846 (d.): Holland Edwards, Rector of St John's
No successor appointed per the Victorian statutes.
Canons in the succession of Robert South
South was appointed in succession to Benjamin Lany, formerly a canon of the 8th prebend.
- 1663 – 8 July 1716 (d.): Robert South
- 21 July 1716 – 5 September 1740 (d.): Harry Barker
- 6 October 1740 – 19 September 1765 (d.): John Nicoll (also Headmaster until 1753)
- 12 October 1765 – 29 September 1816 (d.): William Bell (also Treasurer of St Paul's from 1766)
- 30 October 1816 – 18 May 1826 (d.): William Short
- 2 June 1826 – bef. 1831 (exch.): Edmund Goodenough (also Headmaster until 1828; became Dean of Wells)
- 4 October 1831 – 31 March 1836 (d.): Henry Ryder, Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry
- 7 November 1838 – 6 August 1860 (d.): Edward Repton
- 1860 – 13 March 1873 (d.): Evan Nepean (also Chaplain-in-Ordinary since 1847)
- 1873 – 23 January 1875 (d.): Charles Kingsley
- 1875 – 20 September 1911 (d.): Robinson Duckworth (Sub-Dean from 16 January 1895)[19]
- 1911 – 26 October 1918 (d.): William Boyd Carpenter, Sub-Dean
- 1918–1924 (res.): Ernest Barnes (became Bishop of Birmingham)
- 1924–1951 (ret.): Frederic Donaldson (Steward, 1927; Treasurer, 1931; Archdeacon, 1937; Receiver-General, 1938; Sub-Dean from 1944; afterwards a canon emeritus)
- 1951–1974 (ret.):[20] Edward Carpenter (Treasurer from 1959; Archdeacon from 1963; became Dean)
- 1975–1987 (ret.):[21] Edward Knapp-Fisher, Archdeacon (Sub-Dean from 1982)
- 1987–1998 (ret.): Donald Gray, Rector of St Margaret's & Speaker's Chaplain (afterwards a canon emeritus)
- 1998–2010 (ret.): Robert Wright, Rector of St Margaret's & Speaker's Chaplain (Sub-Dean from 2005; Archdeacon from 2009; afterwards a canon emeritus)
- 9 October 2010–17 July 2016 (res.):[22] Andrew Tremlett, Rector of St Margaret's (Sub-Dean and Archdeacon from 2014)
- 10 September 2016 – present: Anthony Ball, Canon Steward (2016–2021), and Almoner (before 30 September 20182021), Rector of St Margaret's (since 2020) also a part-time assistant bishop in Episcopal/Anglican Province of Alexandria, 2021 - 2023,[23] and Bishop of North Africa since 2023.
Canons in the succession of George Stradling
Stradling was appointed in succession to William Haywood, canon formerly of the 11th prebend.
In 1836 (during Milman's tenure), the canons in succession to Stradling were made ex officio rectors of St Margaret's, Westminster (then a parish in the Diocese of London).
The arrangement whereby the canon in this succession was also Rector of St Margaret's appears to have ended in 1978, when Charles was appointed in succession to Edwards but not made Rector; the parish had been broken up and dissolved and the church returned to the Abbey's care by the Westminster Abbey and Saint Margaret Westminster Act 1972.
- 8 September 1978 – 28 October 1989 (d.): Sebastian Charles, Canon Steward (Treasurer from 1982)
- 1990–1994 (ret.): Paul Bates[27]
- 1995–2005 (ret.): David Hutt, Canon Steward (Archdeacon & Sub-Dean from 1999; afterwards a canon emeritus)
- 2006 – 21 June 2014 (res.): Jane Hedges, Canon Steward (Archdeacon 2006–2009 & 2010–2014; Sub-Dean 2013–2014)
- 7 September 201430 April 2020 (ret.):[28] Jane Sinclair, Rector of St Margaret's (from 1 September 2016; previously Canon Steward)[29]
- 9 May 2021present: Tricia Hillas, Canon Steward and Archdeacon of Westminster (since before 31 May 2021); also Chaplain to the Speaker of the House of Commons (since 4 March 2020)
Notes
- Knighton, C. S. & Mortimer, Richard. Westminster Abbey reformed: 1540–1640
- Web site: Abbey clergy. Westminster Abbey. 2 January 2021.
- The Minor Canons do not form part of the Chapter, but are nonetheless full-time clergy of the abbey.
- Web site: Order of Service: Evensong with installation of Sacrist and admission of Choristers . Westminster Abbey . 19 September 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220929220119/https://www.westminster-abbey.org/en/order-of-service?id=9376 . 29 September 2022 . 29 September 2022 .
- https://www.westminster-abbey.org/order-of-service?id=13366
- The Receiver General is a lay member of the abbey, and the clerk to the Dean and Chapter.
- Web site: Paul Baumann appointed Receiver General.
- Letters and Paper, Foreign and Domestic, King Henry VIII XVI no. 379 (30)
- Calendar of Papal Registers relating to Great Britain and Ireland 1558–60
- Biographical Illustrations of Westminster Abbey. Whittaker. 1843 p283
- Web site: Sermon at the Sung Eucharist on the Third Sunday after Trinity 2018.
- http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/barry-alfred-2944 Australian Dictionary of Biography – Barry, Alfred (1826–1910)
- http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/36839 Oxford Dictionary of National Biography – Westcott, Brooke Foss (1825–1901)
- Book: Westcott, Arthur . 1903 . Life and Letters of Brooke Foss Westcott . II . 98 . 22 July 2014.
- http://www.westminster-abbey.org/press/news/news/2010/october/canon-sagovsky-appointed-sub-dean Westminster Abbey – Sagovsky appointed Sub-Dean
- https://www.westminster-abbey.org/abbey-news/canon-theologian-to-retire/ Westminster Abbey — Canon Theologian to retire
- http://www.westminster-abbey.org/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/111694/Westminster-Abbey-Annual-Review-2016.pdf Westminster Abbey — Annual Review 2016
- https://www.westminster-abbey.org/abbey-news/dr-james-hawkey-appointed-new-canon-theologian/ Westminster Abbey — Hawkey appointed New Canon Theologian
- Web site: History: Robinson Duckworth . . Westminster Abbey . 24 July 2014.
- News: . Obituary: Edward Carpenter . The Independent . 28 August 1998 . 24 July 2014 .
- News: . Obituary: Edward Knapp-Fisher . The Telegraph . 10 February 2003 . 24 July 2014 .
- http://www.westminster-abbey.org/press/news/2016/january/the-reverend-jane-sinclair-appointed-rector-of-st-margarets-church Westminster Abbey — Sinclair appointed Rector of St Margaret's
- Web site: Westminster Abbey . Anthony Ball appointed Assistant Bishop in Egypt . 1 November 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211203062003/https://www.westminster-abbey.org/abbey-news/canon-anthony-ball-appointed-assistant-bishop-in-egypt . 3 December 2021 . 1 January 2023 .
- The Complete Peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom, Extant, Extinct, or Dormant (1910), Cokayne, George Edward (main author) and Vicary Gibbs (added author), (New edition. 13 volumes in 14. London: St. Catherine Press,1910-), vol. 13 p. 500
- Book: Gray, Donald . 1991 . Chaplain to Mr Speaker: the religious life of the House of Commons . Her Majesty's Stationery Office . 76 . 9780108506345 . 24 July 2014 .
- Web site: The Glasgow Herald - Google News Archive Search.
- News: . Obituary: Paul Bates . The Telegraph . 2 June 2006 . 24 July 2014 .
- Web site: Canon Jane Sinclair to retire.
- http://www.westminster-abbey.org/press/news/news/2014/may/archdeacon-of-stow-and-lindsey-appointed-canon-of-westminster Westminster Abbey – Archdeacon appointed Canon
