Dean of Arches

The Dean of (the) Arches is the judge who sits at the ecclesiastical court of the Archbishop of Canterbury in England.^[1] This appeal court is commonly called the Arches Court.

The Dean of Arches is a joint appointment of the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Archbishop of York; he serves the same role in the latter's 'Chancery Court' where he or she has the title of 'Auditor'. The Dean of Arches also acts as Master of the Faculties.

The current Dean of the Arches is Charles George, QC, who succeeded the Right Worshipful Dr Sheila Cameron on 1st May 2009.^[2]

List of Deans of the Arches

• Charles George, QC 2009–
• Sheila Cameron, QC 2001–2009
• Sir John Owen, QC 1980–2000
• Rev'd Kenneth Elphinstone, QC 1977–1980
• Sir Harold Kent, GCB QC 1972–1976
• Walter Wigglesworth, QC 1971–1972
• Rt Hon Sir Henry Willink, Bt MC QC 1955–1971
• Sir Philip Wilbraham-Baker, KBE 1934–1955
• Sir Lewis Dibdin, KC 1903–1934
• Sir Arthur Charles 1898–1903
• Lord Penzance 1875–1898
• Sir Robert Phillimore 1867–1875
• Stephen Lushington 1858–1867^[3]
• Sir John Dodson 1852–1858^[3]
• Herbert Jenner-Fust 1834–1852
• Rt Hon Sir John Nicholl 1809–1834
• Sir William Wynne 1788–1809
• Peter Calvert 1778–1788
• Sir George Hay 1764–1778
• Sir Edward Simpson 1758–1764
• Sir George Lee 1751–1758
• John Bettesworth 1710–1751
• Sir John Cooke 1703–1710
• George Oxendon 1689–1703
• Sir Thomas Exton 1686–1688
• Sir Richard Lloyd 1684–1686
• Sir Robert Wiseman 1672–1684
• Sir Giles Sweit 1660–1672
• Richard Zouch c.1660
• Walter Walker c.1660
• John Godolpin c.1658-
• William Clerke c.1647–55
• William Sammes c.1646
• Sir John Lambe c.1634–39
• Sir Henry Marten c.1624–33^[4]
• Sir William Bird c.1618–24
• Daniel Donne 1598–1617
• Thomas Byng 1597–1598
• Richard Cosin 1590–1597
• Bartholomew Clerke 1573-1589/90
• John Cooke 1572-
• Thomas Yale 1567–1573
• Robert Weston 1560-
• William Mowse 1559–1560
• Nicholas Harpisfield 1558–1559
• Henry Cole 1557–1558
• David Pole 1556–1557
• John Story 1553-
• Thomas Wodynton 1520–1522
• Richard Bodewell or Blodwell c.1511 [?]
• Humphrey Hawardyn 1504–1515
• ...
• Thomas Beckington
• William Lyndwood 1426-
• John de Ufford
• Simon Islip

Notes

1. ^ Details of that court's responsibilities: Ecclesiastical court#Church of England.
2. ^ [1]
3. ^ ^{a b} ODNB
4. ^ The Dictionary of National Biography in its first edition had Hugh Barker Dean c.1632 s:Barker, Hugh (DNB00); but this was retracted in the 1904 Errata.