Diocesan Registry

The diocesan registry provides legal advice on a variety of matters relating to parish officers (such as clergy, churchwardens, PCCs, lay chairs), diocesan officers and bodies (such as bishops, archdeacons, boards, councils and committees) and members of the public (in relation to marriage, baptism, confirmation and burial).

This page contains some guidance notes on key topics. If you have a question, please check these notes in the first instance. If you need to contact a member of staff in the registry, please contact the relevant person based on the subject matter of your enquiry.

We aim to provide a first response within 48 hours, though we might then need to check other records/sources of information or to ask you some further questions. In most cases, we will provide a full response within five working days. If your enquiry is time sensitive, please make this clear at the outset.

Advice topics and fees

The registry provides initial advice in relation to the following areas under a retainer paid by the diocese:

• Matters arising in connection with an ecclesiastical office, function or duty (eg clergy, lay chairs, churchwardens, PCCs);
• The faculty jurisdiction and work of the consistory court (not including advice in relation to particular applications, but including general advice in relation to churchyards, burials and memorial regulations);
• Matters relating to the church representation rules (eg parish governance, PCC membership, elections);
• Appointment of clergy (eg ordination, patronage process, licensings, resignations);
• Licensing or consecration of church buildings and church-owned burial grounds;
• The law relating to marriage, baptism, confirmation and burial;
• Records and registers held by the diocesan registry (eg pastoral schemes, churchyard consecrations, church land/building status, historic parish correspondence).

Additional fees are payable for applications for a faculty where the application is not being made for the PCC, applications for a common licence for marriage, and consecration of civil burial grounds.

Additional fees may also be necessary if enquiries or requested work/advice requires a higher level of time or detail, or becomes transactional. Fees will then become payable to the registrar’s firm Winckworth Sherwood LLP on a solicitor-and-client basis.

Other legal advice

For the avoidance of doubt, advice in relation to other areas is not covered by the diocesan retainer, and separate fees will be payable, including for:

• Property research (including boundary disputes);
• Conveyancing (sale/purchase of land or buildings) or drafting of other property documentation (such as licences, tenancies, or agreements);
• Litigation (including mediation, dispute resolution or other legal proceedings);
• Trusts (including matters related to schools, parochial charities and Charity Commission applications);
• Employment law.

The registrar’s firm Winckworth Sherwood LLP can provide advice on these and other matters and has expertise in advising ecclesiastical clients. If you would like to discuss engaging a solicitor please feel free to contact the registrar about this. The registrar advises the bishop in relation to complaints and disciplinary matters and cannot advise clergy, PCCs or complainants about that. Independent legal advice should always be sought.

Postal Address

The postal address for the registry is 2 Chawley Park, Cumnor Hill, Oxford, OX2 9GG.

Darren Oliver

Registrar of the Diocese

Email

01865 297 214

Ruth Rundle

PA to the Registrar

PCC property enquiries

Email

01865 297 214

Cordelia Hall

Deputy Diocesan Registrar

Chancel repair, schools and parish trusts

Email

01865 297 207

Sara Leader

Registry Manager

Marriage and baptism enquiries, patronage and parish vacancies, governance, clergy and lay appointments 

Email

01865 297 211

Helen Lambourne

Registry Clerk

Faculty applications, churchyard matters, filming and burial ground consecrations 

Email

01865 297 208