THE Dean of Winchester, the Very Revd Catherine Ogle, has announced her retirement “for personal reasons” on 1 May 2025. It was the year, she said, of her husband’s 70th birthday and consequently “the right time for us to move into a new stage of life”.
She has been Dean since February 2017, since when she has overseen the £1-million organ restoration and the development of an estates masterplan for the cathedral’s conservation and development for the next 30 years.
“Winchester Cathedral has a great future as well as a magnificent heritage,” Dean Ogle said. “I am enormously grateful for the adventure and companionship of the last few years as the cathedral has faced new challenges, not least those of the Covid years, and the kindness and love that has been shared.”
Dean Ogle was embroiled in controversy over the summer months, after the unexpected resignation on 2 May of the director of music, Andrew Lumsden, which triggered allegations about the management of the cathedral’s music department. Mark Byford, a senior non-executive member of Winchester Cathedral, who is a former director-general of the BBC World Service, also resigned.
The unhappiness resulted in the commissioning by the Bishop of Winchester, the Rt Revd Philip Mounstephen, of an independent review into the cathedral’s governance (News, 18 June). Before she retires, the Dean will lead the implementation of its recommendations.
Bishop Mounstephen said, “Notwithstanding the challenges of the last few months, I’m immensely grateful to Dean Catherine not only for the warmth of her personal welcome to me, since I arrived as Bishop, but also for the excellence of the ministry she has exercised at the cathedral, making it a place of generous hospitality and uplifting worship.
“I quite understand her personal reasons for going, but I am only sorry we will not have had the opportunity to work together for longer.”
The Vice-Dean, Canon Roly Riem, will take over as Acting Dean until a permanent successor is appointed.
It was also announced on Thursday of last week that the Interim Director of Music, Andrew Lucas, who retired from St Albans Cathedral in the summer, would remain in post until July 2026. A statement said: “This will allow the Cathedral time to develop its aspirations for continued excellence in worship and music. . .
“In this period important decisions will be made after due consultation, not least about who will be appointed the Director of Music in 2026. The Cathedrals Music Trust has agreed to support this process.
“One of Andrew’s most important tasks will be to recruit additional Lay Clerks, aiming to restore the ‘back row’ to the full complement of twelve. He has recommended that advertising these posts will be most effective in the early New Year, which will also allow a little longer to build up the team of excellent musicians that he directs.”