Registry and Chancellor

The Diocesan Registry deals with a large proportion of the legal matters affecting the diocese, the parishes and their officers within the diocese. The team is based at Batt Broadbent Solicitors in Salisbury. The Chancellor works both independently and in consultation with the two Registrars and the Registry clerks.

The Registrars are also the Bishop’s Legal Secretaries, and are responsible for advising the Diocesan and Suffragan Bishops on the law generally, in addition to ecclesiastical law, as far as it affects the Church and diocese.

All clergy, churchwardens and parish officers may contact the Registry for advice on:

The work of the Chancellor

Each diocese has an ecclesiastical court - the Consistory Court - and this is presided over by the Chancellor. The Chancellor is appointed by the Diocesan Bishop, but remains independent. Much of the Chancellor’s work deals with national faculty legislation, controlling works to and around consecrated churches and churchyards. The Chancellor also sets the parameters for Churchyard Regulations, which are specific to each diocese. This work is administered by and through the Diocesan Registry. The Chancellor sometimes hears disputed matters in open court. In addition, Common Marriage licences are issued under the Chancellor’s Seal and general legal advice is provided for the bishop in the role of Vicar-General.
 
Registry advice and work includes:
  • Ordinations
  • Vacancies (Parish and benefice)
  • Churchwardens and PCC officers
  • Churchyards    
  • Regulations
  • Memorials
  • Consecrations
  • Maintenance and responsibility
  • Faculty applications  
  • Online system
  • Grace space reservations
  • Exhumations
  • Marriage                             
  • Banns
  • Common Licence
  • Surrogates       
 

The Registry Team includes:

Ruth Arlow

Chancellor

Sue de Candole

Registrar

The Revd Gavin Foster

Registrar

Sarah Hart

Senior Registry Clerk

Anita Jeans

Registry Clerk

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