The Church Commissioners have announced the purchase of a new see house; Pullens End, Headington, Oxford.
The Church Commissioners’ role is to manage the Church's historic assets, today invested in the stock market and property, to produce money to support the Church's ministry. They are responsible for providing housing for diocesan bishops and Pullens End has been purchased by them using funds, built up from the Church’s endowments, which have been preserved for this purpose.
They have released the following statement:
‘The Commissioners have only a leasehold interest in the existing see house (expiring in 2010) so it is necessary to replace the current see house, ideally before the next Bishop of Oxford takes up his appointment. Bishop Richard has announced that he will retire in June 2006.
Pullens End will provide appropriate living accommodation (in line with the suitability criteria set out in the recent see house review) to meet the family and hospitality needs of the new bishop, so that he can carry out his key role in the mission of the diocese and wider Church. It provides good transport links and sufficient flexibility to provide offices for the Bishop’s staff should that be required in future. Both Bishop Richard’s and his predecessor’s office staff have worked from the Diocesan offices.
Work is needed to update the house to make it suitable as a see house. It is hoped that the house will be ready in good time for the new Bishop.
As a condition of the purchase we have agreed with the vendor that the details of the purchase should remain confidential. We do however believe that the purchase price agreed is both fair and in line with the current market and its purchase is supported by our professional advisors.’
More information is available on the Church of England website: http://cofe.anglican.org/about/churchcommissioners/supportingministry/
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