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Deaneries

Here you can find information about our 12 deaneries, their parishes, synod leadership, and governance rules.

The diocese is divided into 12 deaneries, which is made up of 86 benefices and 344 parishes. Each deanery has a Synod chaired by the Rural Dean and an elected Lay Chair. Elections to Deanery Synods are triennial and are carried out at each Annual Parochial Church Meeting (APCM) in an election year (next election years are 2026, 2029, 2032 etc). Contact details and a list of churches in each deanery are below:

Hereford Archdeaconry:

  • Abbeydore (Rural Dean: Revd Jane Rogers, Lay Co Chair: Bill Giles, Secretary: Anne Lloyd, Treasurer: Nigel Sellar)
  • Bromyard (Rural Dean: Revd Dawn Hyett, Lay Co Chair: Roger Wilkins, Secretary: Christine Hayes, Treasurer: Vacant)
  • Hereford City (Rural Dean: Revd Andy Dodwell, Lay Co Chair: Peter Maxwell, Secretary: Vacant, Treasurer: Rosemary Lording)
  • Kington and Weobley (Rural Dean: Revd Katie Smith, Lay Co Chair: Vacant, Secretary: Margaret Jones, Treasurer: Chris Smith)
  • Ledbury (Rural Dean: Vacant, Lay Co Chair: Kevin Hewison, Secretary: Jennifer Harrison, Treasurer: Vacant)
  • Leominster (Rural Dean: Revd Mark Long, Lay Co Chair: Lydia Davies, Secretary: Vacant, Treasurer: Rosemary Lording)
  • Ross & Archenfield (Rural Dean: Revd David Howell, Lay Co Chair: Vacant, Secretary: Vacant, Treasurer: Paul Baker)

Ludlow Archdeaconry:

  • Clun Forest (Rural Dean: Vacant, Lay Co Chair: Andrew Wood, Secretary: Corinne Marbrow, Treasurer: Vacant)
  • Condover (Rural Dean: Revd Chris Hargraves, Lay Co Chair: Andrea Graham, Secretary: Wendy Brogden Treasurer: Richard Rhodes)
  • Ludlow (Rural Dean: Revd Ashley Buck, Lay Co Chair: Sadie Chalkley, Secretary: Sue Harrison-Stone, Treasurer: Vacant)
  • Pontesbury (Rural Dean: Revd Greg Smith, Lay Co Chair: Alison Lewis, Secretary: Ann Jones, Treasurer: Richard Jones)
  • Severn Borders (Rural Dean: Revd Jeannetta Stokes, Assistant Rural Dean: Revd Dawn Taffinder, Lay Co Chair: Martin Elcock, Secretary: Julie Lewis, Treasurer: Steve Jones)

 

There are a number of governance rules which Deanery Synods must conform with.  These are the Church Representation and Ministers Measure 2019. The Measure states in Schedule 1:
26 (1) A diocesan synod must make rules for the deanery synods in the diocese.
(2) The rules must include provision—
(a) for the rural dean and a member of the house of laity of the deanery synod elected by that house to be the joint chairs; 
(b) for the joint chairs to decide between themselves who is to chair each meeting or particular items of business on the agenda; 
(c) for there to be a secretary;
(d) for a specified minimum number of meetings to be held in each year;
(e) for decisions to be taken by a majority of members present and voting, except where the rules require there to be a vote by houses; 
(f) for there to be a standing committee, the membership and functions of which are provided for by the rules; 
(g) for a report of the deanery synod’s proceedings to be given to every PCC in the deanery. 
(3) The rules may include provision for such other matters consistent with the provision required by paragraph (2) as the diocesan synod decides.

In Hereford Diocese the minimum number of meetings under 26(2)(d) is two a year.

Click here for a copy of the Deanery Synod Rules for Constitution which includes:
36. The Standing Committee shall not later than 31st July in each year submit to the synod-.  
(a) A report and audited or independently examined accounts for the preceding financial year;  
(b) A statement showing the estimated expenditure of the synod during the next financial year;  
(c) Proposals for raising the income required to meet such expenditure.