The Dean of Wells is the head of the Chapter of

Wells Cathedral Wells Cathedral is an Anglican cathedral in Wells, Somerset, England, dedicated to St Andrew the Apostle. It is the seat of the Bishop of Bath and Wells, whose cathedra it holds as mother church of the Diocese of Bath and Wells. Built as a ...

in the Mendip district of

Somerset ( en, All The People of Somerset) , locator_map = , coordinates = , region = South West England , established_date = Ancient , established_by = , preceded_by = , origin = , lord_lieutenant_office =Lord Lieutenant of Somerset , lor ...

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe ...

. The dean's residence is The Dean's Lodging, 25

The Liberty The Liberty Shopping Centre is a covered shopping centre in Romford, the largest such centre in the town. It was originally built in 1968 and underwent a four-year redevelopment completed in 2003. The centre takes its name from the former Libert ...

, Wells.

List of deans

High Medieval

*1140–1164: Ivo *1164–1189: Richard of Spaxton *1190–1213:

Alexander Alexander is a male given name. The most prominent bearer of the name is Alexander the Great, the king of the Ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia who created one of the largest empires in ancient history. Variants listed here are Aleksandar, Al ...

*1213–1216: Leonius *1216–1219:

Ralph of Lechlade Ralph of Lechlade was the Dean of Wells Wells most commonly refers to: * Wells, Somerset, a cathedral city in Somerset, England * Well, an excavation or structure created in the ground * Wells (name) Wells may also refer to: Places Canada ...

*1219–1236:

Peter of Chichester Peter of Chichester was the Dean Dean may refer to: People * Dean (given name) * Dean (surname), a surname of Anglo-Saxon English origin * Dean (South Korean singer), a stage name for singer Kwon Hyuk * Dean Delannoit, a Belgian singer most kn ...

*1236–1241:

William of Merton William of Merton was the Dean of Wells Wells most commonly refers to: * Wells, Somerset, a cathedral city in Somerset, England * Well, an excavation or structure created in the ground * Wells (name) Wells may also refer to: Places Canada ...

*1241–1253: John Saracenus *1254–1256: Giles of Bridport *1256–1284:

Edward of Cnoll Edward of Cnoll was the Dean of Wells Wells most commonly refers to: * Wells, Somerset, a cathedral city in Somerset, England * Well, an excavation or structure created in the ground * Wells (name) Wells may also refer to: Places Canada * ...

*1284–1292:

Thomas Bytton Thomas Bytton was the Dean Dean may refer to: People * Dean (given name) * Dean (surname), a surname of Anglo-Saxon English origin * Dean (South Korean singer), a stage name for singer Kwon Hyuk * Dean Delannoit, a Belgian singer most known ...

*1292–1295:

William Burnell William Burnell was the Dean of Wells Wells most commonly refers to: * Wells, Somerset, a cathedral city in Somerset, England * Well, an excavation or structure created in the ground * Wells (name) Wells may also refer to: Places Canada *W ...

*1295–1302: Walter Haselshaw

Late Medieval

*1302–1305: Henry Husee *1305–1333: John Godelee *1333–1333: Richard of Bury *1334–1335: Wibert of Littleton *1335–1349: Walter of London *1349–1350: Thomas Fastolf *1350–1361: John of Carleton *1361–1379: Stephen Penpel *1379–1381: John Fordham *1381–1396:

Thomas Thebaud Thomas Thebaud (of Sudbury) was the Dean of Wells Wells most commonly refers to: * Wells, Somerset, a cathedral city in Somerset, England * Well, an excavation or structure created in the ground * Wells (name) Wells may also refer to: Place ...

( of Sudbury) *1397–1398:

Henry Beaufort Cardinal Henry Beaufort (c. 1375 – 11 April 1447), Bishop of Winchester, was an English prelate and statesman who held the offices of Bishop of Lincoln (1398) then Bishop of Winchester (1404) and was from 1426 a Cardinal of the Church o ...

*1398–1401: Nicholas Slake *1401–1410:

Thomas Tuttebury Thomas Tuttebury was the Dean of Wells at the beginning of the fifteenth century. He was also simultaneously Archdeacon of Buckingham. In 1392 the king appointed him to Maidstone Rectory; and in 1400 he was the incumbent at Aston Clinton. He wa ...

*1410–1413:

Richard Courtenay Richard Courtenay (died 15 September 1415) was an English prelate and university chancellor, who served as Bishop of Norwich 1413-15. Life Courtenay was a son of Sir Philip Courtenay of Powderham Castle near Exeter, and a grandson of Hugh de Cou ...

*1413–1413:

Thomas Karneka Thomas may refer to: People * List of people with given name Thomas * Thomas (name) * Thomas (surname) * Saint Thomas (disambiguation) * Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) Italian Dominican friar, philosopher, and Doctor of the Church * Thomas the Ap ...

*1413–1423:

Walter Medeford Walter Medeford was the Dean of Wells Wells most commonly refers to: * Wells, Somerset, a cathedral city in Somerset, England * Well, an excavation or structure created in the ground * Wells (name) Wells may also refer to: Places Canada * ...

*1423–1424: John Stafford *1425–1446: John Forest *1446–1467:

Nicholas Carent Nicholas Carent was the Dean of Wells Wells most commonly refers to: * Wells, Somerset, a cathedral city in Somerset, England * Well, an excavation or structure created in the ground * Wells (name) Wells may also refer to: Places Canada * ...

*1467–1472:

William Witham William Witham (or Wytham) was incumbent at St Marylebone until 12 November 1454, when he exchanged the office for that of Archdeacon of Stow. He was then Archdeacon of Leicester (from 1458), Dean of Arches (from ) and Dean of Wells The Dean of ...

*1472–1498: John Gunthorpe

Early modern

*1498–1525:

William Cosyn William Cosyn was priest, a JP for Somerset from 1506–1516, and Dean of Wells Cathedral from 1498–1525. Biography William Cosyn was born between 1470 and 1475 in London to Robert Cosyn and his wife Elizabeth (née King).Aelred Watkin, ed. ...

*1525–1529: Thomas Wynter (also

Archdeacon of York The Archdeacon of York (or of the West Riding) is a senior clergy position in an archdeaconry subdivision of the Church of England Diocese of York in the Province of York. It is named for the City of York and consists of the seven rural deane ...

, Archdeacon of Richmond (1526–1529), Archdeacon of Suffolk (1526–1529) and Archdeacon of Norfolk (from 1529)) *1529–1537:

Richard Woleman Richard Woleman or Wolman (died 1537) was an English churchman, Archdeacon of Sudbury from 1522; and the Dean of Wells between 1529 and 1537. Life In 1478 Wolman was a member of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge. He also studied abroad, being note ...

*1537–1540:

Thomas Cromwell Thomas Cromwell (; 1485 – 28 July 1540), briefly Earl of Essex, was an English lawyer and statesman who served as List of English chief ministers, chief minister to King Henry VIII from 1534 to 1540, when he was beheaded on orders of the kin ...

*1540–1547: William Fitzwilliam (''or'' Fitzjames) *1548–1550:

John Goodman John Stephen Goodman (born June 20, 1952) is an American actor. He gained national fame for his role as the family patriarch Dan Conner in the ABC comedy series '' Roseanne'' (1988–1997; 2018), for which he received a Golden Globe Award, a ...

''(deprived)'' *1551–1554: William Turner ''(deprived)'' *1554–1561: John Goodman ''(reinstated)'' *1561–1568: William Turner ''(restored)'' *1570–1573:

Robert Weston Robert Weston (c.1515 – 20 May 1573) was an English civil lawyer, who was Dean of the Arches and Lord Chancellor of Ireland in the time of Queen Elizabeth. Life Robert Weston was the seventh son of John Weston (c. 1470 - c. 1550), a trades ...

*1574–1589: Valentine Dale *1590–1602: John Herbert *1602–1607:

Benjamin Heydon Benjamin Heydon or Haydon (1567–1607) was the Headmaster at Winchester College from 1596 to 1601/1602, a JP for Somerset, and Dean of Wells Cathedral from 1602 until his death in 1607. Early life and family Benjamin Heydon was born in Winch ...

*1607–1621: Richard Meredith *1621–1631: Ralph Barlow *1631–1641: George Warburton *1642–1644:

Walter Ralegh Sir Walter Raleigh (; – 29 October 1618) was an English statesman, soldier, writer and explorer. One of the most notable figures of the Elizabethan era, he played a leading part in English colonisation of North America, suppressed rebelli ...

*1660–1670: Robert Creighton *1670–1704: Ralph Bathurst *1704–1713:

William Grahme William Grahme or William Graham (died 4 February 1713) was Dean of Carlisle from 1684 until 1704; and of Wells from then until his death in 1713. He was joint Clerk of the Closet The College of Chaplains of the Ecclesiastical Household of t ...

(''or'' Graham) *1713–1733:

Matthew Brailsford Matthew Brailsford was the Dean of Wells Wells most commonly refers to: * Wells, Somerset, a cathedral city in Somerset, England * Well, an excavation or structure created in the ground * Wells (name) Wells may also refer to: Places Canada ...

*1733–1736: Isaac Maddox *1736–1738: John Harris *1739–1766: Samuel Creswicke *1766–1799: Lord Francis Seymour

Late modern

*1799–1812: George Lukin *1812–1831: Hon Henry Ryder *1831–1845: Edmund Goodenough *1845–1854:

Richard Jenkyns Richard Jenkyns (1782 – 16 March 1854) was a British academic administrator at the University of Oxford and Dean at Wells Cathedral. Life Jenkyns was born at Evercreech in Somerset, where he was baptised on 21 December 1782. He was the eld ...

*1854–1881: George Johnson *1881–1891: Edward Plumptre *1891–1911: Thomas Jex-Blake *1911–1933: Armitage Robinson *1933–1950:

Richard Malden Richard Henry Malden, BD, (19 October 1879 – August 1951), Dean of Wells, was a prominent Anglican churchman, editor, classical and Biblical scholar, and a writer of ghost stories. Career Educated at Eton College and King's College, Cambrid ...

*1951–1958: Frederic Harton *1958–1962:

Christopher Woodforde Christopher Woodforde (29 November 1907-12 August 1962) was an Anglican priest and noted author in the mid 20th century. Woodforde was born on 29 November 1907 and educated at King's School, Bruton and Peterhouse, Cambridge. Ordained in 1932 ...

*1962–1973: Irven Edwards *1973–1989: Patrick Mitchell *1990–2003: Richard Lewis *2004–31 December 2015 (ret.): John Clarke *31 December 2015 – 20 November 2016:

Andrew Featherstone Andrew is the English form of a given name common in many countries. In the 1990s, it was among the top ten most popular names given to boys in English-speaking countries. "Andrew" is frequently shortened to "Andy" or "Drew". The word is derive ...

(Acting) *20 November 2016 – present: John Davies

List of deans

High Medieval

Late Medieval

Early modern

Late modern

References

Further reading