New Archdeacon
THE next Archdeacon of Wells is to be the Revd Joanna Stobart, currently Chaplain to the Bishop of Exeter. Originally from West London, Ms Stobart was a primary-school teacher before her ordination in 2016, and established the Southwark Cathedral Education Centre. She trained at Sarum College and served her title in the Yatton Moor Team Ministry before becoming the Vicar of Ilminster and Whitelackington, both in the diocese of Bath & Wells. Between 2021 and 2025, she was the Assistant Area Dean, then Area Dean, of South Somerset, also representing the diocese on the General Synod during this time. She moved to Exeter last year. The Bishop of Bath & Wells, Dr Michael Beasley, has described her appointment as “coming home. She is someone with huge ability, who loves our diocese, loves Somerset and rural ministry.”
BEAKEN. The Revd Dr Robert Beaken, Priest-in-Charge of Catsfield and Crowhurst (Chichester), to be Rector (diocesan correction).
BROWN. The Revd Thomas Brown, Assistant Curate of Conisbrough, to be Oversight Minister and Priest-in-Charge of Denaby Main (Sheffield).
BYRNE. The Revd Sharon Byrne, Assistant Curate of Teversham, to be Priest-in-Charge (Vicar-designate) of Buckden with the Offords (Ely).
CHARMLEY. The Revd Mark Charmley, Rector of St Philippe de Torteval, and of St Saviour’s with the St Apolline’s Chapel, Guernsey (Salisbury), to be Vicar of Kirdford with Plaistow and Wisborough Green (Chichester).
COORE. The Revd Jonathan Coore, formerly Minor Canon and Succentor of St George’s Chapel, Windsor, and Chaplain of St George’s School, Windsor, now Chaplain of HM Prison Swaleside (Canterbury).
DAS. The Revd Pathikrit (Peter) Das, Assistant Curate of St George’s, Doncaster, to be Vicar of St John the Evangelist, Spitalgate, with Earlesfield, and Associate Rector of St Wulfram’s, Grantham (Lincoln).
LING. The Revd Adrian Ling, Rector of South and West Lynn, and Hon. Canon of Norwich Cathedral (Norwich), to be Vicar of St Annes’s, Heyhouses, St Annes-on-the-Sea (Blackburn).
McINNES. The Revd Dr Louise McInnes, Assistant Curate of Whiston and of Herringthorpe, to be Oversight Minister and Vicar of the Cornerstone Benefice (Sheffield).
MORGAN. The Revd Victoria Morgan, Chaplain of the Earl Mountbatten Hospice, Newport, to be Rector of Rowner and Diocesan Estates Missioner (Portsmouth).
PAINE. The Revd Sharon Paine, NS Assistant Curate in the Elham Valley Group (Canterbury), now Associate Priest.
PARTRIDGE. The Revd Stephen Partridge, Team Vicar in the Lytchetts and Upton Team Ministry, to be also Assistant Rural Dean of Poole and North Bournemouth. (Salisbury).
POLLARD. The Revd Joshua Pollard, Assistant Curate of St Alban’s, South Norwood (Southwark), to be Vicar of St Andrew’s, Kingsbury (London).
RICHARDS. The Revd Joanna Richards, Rector of St Dunstan with Holy Cross, St Mildred’s and St Peter with St Alphege, Canterbury, and Hon. Canon of Canterbury Cathedral, to be Chaplain of HM Prison Elmley (Canterbury).
ROUT. The Revd Thomas Rout, Priest-in-Charge of Stanford-le-Hope with Mucking (Chelmsford), to be Rector.
SANDER-HEYS. The Revd Jemma Sander-Heys, Vicar of Oakworth, to be part-time Priest-in-Charge of Battyeford (Leeds), and part-time Lecturer and Tutor of the College of the Resurrection, Mirfield.
SIM. The Revd Amanda Sim, Priest-in-Charge of Blackmoor and Whitehill (Portsmouth), to be Vicar.
SMITH. The Revd Deborah Smith, Residential Warden of Dovedale House, to be Chaplain of Launde Abbey (Lichfield).
SWYER. The Revd David Swyer, Vicar of Portslade and Mile Oak (Chichester), to be Priest-in-Charge of St Martin’s, Salisbury, and of St Peter’s, Devizes (Salisbury).
THATCHER. The Revd Penelope Thatcher, NS Priest-in Charge of Titchfield (Portsmouth), now Vicar.
VINCE. The Revd Andrew Vince, NS Assistant Curate in the North Blackwater Benefice (Chelmsford), to be Associate Priest, remaining Assistant Agricultural Chaplain.
WALKER. The Revd Michael Walker, Priest-in-Charge of St John the Baptist, Southend (Chelmsford), to be Vicar.
WALLIS. The Revd Andrew Wallis, Vicar of Christ Church, Coromandel Town, Aotearoa, New Zealand (Auckland), to be Chaplain of St Michael’s, Beaulieu-sur-Mer, France (Europe).
WELHAM. The Revd Clare Welham, Priest-in-Charge of Liss (Portsmouth), now Rector.
ZUBLER. The Revd Eric Zubler, Interim Priest of Trinity, Mobile, Alabama, USA (Central Gulf Coast), to be Chaplain in the Costa Brava, Spain (Europe).