Dean and Chapter of Westminster

The Dean and Chapter of Westminster are the ecclesiastical governing body of Westminster Abbey, a collegiate church of the Church of England and royal peculiar in Westminster, Greater London. They consist of the dean and several canons meeting in chapter and are also known as the Dean and Canons of Westminster.

Foundation

The first college of canons was established by letters patent on 17 December 1540 by Henry VIII. Under the Bishop of Westminster of the newly created Diocese of Westminster, there was a dean and 12 canons, six of whom were former monks of the abbey. They survived the dissolution of the diocese in 1550, becoming a second cathedral of the Diocese of London until 1556 when the college was dissolved by Mary I. The second college of canons was established on 21 May 1560 by Elizabeth I, this time as a royal peculiar. From 16 November 1645 the dean and canons were dispersed, and a committee of the Lords and Commons from the Long Parliament governed. The dean and canons were restored on the Restoration in 1660.

Current chapter

As of 29 September 2022:

Roles within the chapter

Today, the roles divided between the canons residentiary generally include: the sub-dean, who is second to the dean; the canon treasurer; the canon steward, who is responsible for the welcoming of visitors; canon theologian; the canon almoner; the Archdeacon of Westminster; and the rector of St Margaret's. Between and among the chapter of canons, roles can be and are reshuffled as desired. The minor canons are the precentor, the sacrist and, since 2016, the Abbey chaplain. Historically, other roles have included the Chaplain to the Speaker of the House of Commons, the Headmaster of Westminster School and the rector of St John's, Smith Square

List of canons

First foundation (cathedral, 1540–1556)

The first a canon of each stall was appointed by Henry VIII in the foundation charter dated 17 December 1540. Eight canons were deprived of their prebends by Mary I on 30 March 1554 and one resigned shortly after; only three remained in post.
Canons of the 1st Prebend

17 December 1540 – 1552 : Simon Haynes, Dean of Exeter
8 November 1552 – 26 September 1556: Andrew Perne

Canons of the 2nd Prebend

17 December 1540 – 4 November 1551 : John Redman, Archdeacon of Taunton
5 December 1551 – 30 March 1554 : Alexander Nowell, Headmaster
12 May 1554 – 26 September 1556: John Richards

Canons of the 3rd Prebend

17 December 1540 – bef. 1547 : Edward Layton
15 June 1547 – 30 March 1554 : Edward Keble
12 April 1554 – 26 September 1556: John Baker

Canons of the 4th Prebend

17 December 1540 – August 1552 : Anthony Belasyse
August–December 1552 : James Haddon
16 December 1552 – 30 March 1554 : Richard Alvey
12 May 1554 – 26 September 1556: John Ramridge

Canons of the 5th Prebend

17 December 1540 – 18 July 1552 : William Bretten
30 July 1552 – 10 May 1554 : Edmund Grindal, Precentor of St Paul's
28 May 1554 – 1554 : John Moreman
11 September 1554 – 26 September 1556: John Smith

Canons of the 6th Prebend

17 December 1540 – bef. 1543 : Denis Dalyon
18 May 1543 – 30 March 1554 : John Pekyns
5 April 1554 – 26 September 1556: Francis Mallet

Canons of the 7th Prebend

17 December 1540 – 30 March 1554 : Humphrey Parkyns/Charite
18 May 1554 – 26 September 1556: Alphonso de Salinas

Canons of the 8th Prebend

17 December 1540 – 1542 : Thomas Essex/Baxter
8 December 1542 – bef. 1545 : Francis Turpin
15 November 1545 – bef. 1553 : Nicholas Ridley
4 July 1553 – 26 September 1556: Hugh Griffith

Canons of the 9th Prebend

17 December 1540 – bef. 1546 : Thomas Elfryde
23 July 1546 – 30 March 1554 : Bernard Sandiforth
21 April 1554 – 26 September 1556: Henry Cole

Canons of the 10th Prebend

17 December 1540 – 1541 : John Rumney/Malvern
26 November 1541 – 30 March 1554 : Edmund Weston
12 May 1554 – 26 September 1556: Thomas Wood

Canons of the 11th Prebend

17 December 1540 – 1544 : William Harvye/Faythe
28 November 1544 – 26 September 1556: Thomas Reynold

Canons of the 12th Prebend

17 December 1540 – 1549 : Gerard Carleton
7 September 1549 – bef. 1551 : Giles Eyer
20 October 1551 – 30 March 1554 : Thomas Birkhed
3 May 1554 – 26 September 1556: William Pye
Second Foundation (Royal Peculiar, 1560–1660)

Twelve canons were appointed by Elizabeth I at the refoundation of the secular chapter, 21 May 1560.
Canons of the 1st Prebend

30 June 1560 – bef. 1566 : William Barlow, Bishop of Chichester
20 April 1566 – 2 May 1585 : Thomas Browne
26 May 1585 – 27 February 1633 : Thomas Montford
8 March 1633 – bef. 1652 : Gabriel More

Canons of the 2nd Prebend

30 June 1560 – 16 November 1577 : Humphrey Parkyns/Charite
23 April 1578 – 25 April 1587 : John Reade
9 May 1587 – bef. 1609 : Richard Wood
27 September 1609 – bef. 1626 : Henry Caesar or Adelmare
10 January 1626 – bef. 1653 : Thomas Wilson

Canons of the 3rd Prebend

30 June 1560 – bef. 1561 : John Hardyman
16 November 1561 – 1606 : Perceval Wiburn
6 May 1606 – September 1623 : John Fox
October 1623 – bef. 1635 : John Wilson
21 February 1635 – 1638 : Matthew Wren
24 April 1638 – 1645 : Richard Steward

Canons of the 4th Prebend

30 June 1560 – 1562 : Richard Cheyney
12 September 1563 – July 1570 : Thomas Norley
10 August 1570 – bef. 1571 : William Wickham
19 June 1571 – bef. 1575 : Robert Ramsden
bef. 1575 – 1579 : William Chaderton
26 November 1579 – 1586 : Thomas Wagstaff
31 December 1586 – bef. 1602 : Richard Webster
bef. 1602 – 23 November 1616 : Richard Hakluyt
29 November 1616 – 10 January 1631 : John Holt
5 February 1631 – ?: Lewis Wemys

Canons of the 5th Prebend

30 June 1560 – bef. 1574 : Richard Alvey
13 February 1574 – bef. 1576 : Thomas Aldriche, Archdeacon of Sudbury
1576 – bef. 1582 : John Rugge, Archdeacon of Wells
1582 – 8 February 1608 : Nicholas Bond, Rector of St Giles in the Fields
5 March 1608 – bef. 1642 : William Robinson
17 June 1642 – August 1661 : Matthew Nicholas

Canons of the 6th Prebend

30 June 1560 – 1561 : Edmund Scambler, Bishop of Peterborough
1562: Robert Rolles, Headmaster
1562 – June 1565 : John Beaumont
1565 – bef. 1567 : Matthew Hutton
1567 – bef. 1577 : Walter Jones
1577 – bef. 1607 : Griffith Lewis
8 June 1607 – 31 October 1631 : George Darrell
9 November 1631 – 8 May 1662 : Peter Heylin

Canons of the 7th Prebend

21 May 1560 – bef. 1564 : Alexander Nowell
1564 – bef. 1567 : John Hill
1567 – bef. 1570 : John Pory
1570 – bef. 1573 : Thomas Aldriche, Archdeacon of Sudbury and Master of Corpus
1573–1593 : John Still
20 February 1593 – 1607 : Thomas Ravis
10 May 1607 – bef. 1623 : Hugh Goodman
July 1623 – 15 December 1631 : Theodore Price
12 January 1632 – 15 March 1634 : Roger Bates
3 April 1634 – 1639 : John Towers, Dean of Peterborough
January 1639 – 19 December 1643 : Jonathan Browne, Dean of Hereford

Canons of the 8th Prebend

21 May 1560 – bef. 1583 : William Latymer, Dean of Peterborough
15 October 1583 – bef. 1621 : Edward Buckley
22 January 1621 – 1628 : William Laud
1628–1641 : Griffith Williams
January 1641 – 1663: Benjamin Lany

Canons of the 9th Prebend

21 May 1560 – 23 April 1594 : Richard Ryve
20 April 1594 – bef. 1620 : Cuthbert Bellott
bef. 1620 – 21 June 1642 : Robert Newell

Canons of the 10th Prebend

21 May 1560 – bef. 1564 : William Downham
1564–1572 : Edmund Freke, Archdeacon of Canterbury
1572 – 10 April 1605 : John Young
30 April 1605 – 1629 : Christopher Sutton
1629 – February 1639 : Lambert Osbaldeston, Headmaster
June 1639 – 1641 : Benjamin Lany
1641–1659 : Lambert Osbaldeston '

Canons of the 11th Prebend
21 May 1560 – bef. 1579 : William Young
1579 – 26 February 1592 : John Wickham
13 March 1592 – 1597 : Richard Bancroft
1597–1601 : Lancelot Andrewes
5 July 1601 – 15 January 1613 : Adrian Saravia
20 January 1613 – bef. 1638 : Gabriel Grant
28 September 1638 – bef. 1663 : William Haywood
Canons of the 12th Prebend'''

21 May 1560 – 1561 : Gabriel Goodman
1561–1577 : Thomas Watts, Archdeacon of Middlesex
27 May 1577 – 4 August 1601 : Edward Grant
1601 – 7 September 1613 : William Barlow
15 September 1613 – 7 August 1638 : John King
28 September 1638 – bef. 1643 : George Aglionby
1643: Henry Killigrew
Second Foundation (Royal Peculiar, since 1660)

The prebendaries admitted since the Restoration in 1660 have had no fixed stalls to their prebends, but upon any vacancy the new prebendary was installed in the lowest stall on the side where the vacancy happened, and not in the stall of him who died, or was promoted. Since all but four prebends were vacant before 1660, it is not possible to assert that any particular succession of canons relates to any previous prebend except for those four.
A prebend at Westminster was highly sought after by the ecclesiastical establishment. The value of the prebend helped to enrich the salaries of some of the poorer bishops, who retained their prebends at Westminster whilst in office. Other distinguishing features of the Westminster chapter were the close links with Westminster School – thirteen headmasters were canons – and eleven members of the peerage or baronetage were members of the chapter at various times.
The Ecclesiastical Commissioners reports in 1835 and 1836 called for a reduction in the number of canons from twelve to six. Two of the remaining prebends were united with the rectories of St Margaret's, Westminster and St John's, Smith Square. The number of prebends was reduced further from six to five in 1890 on the resignation of Brooke Foss Westcott and from five to four in 1941 on the resignation of Russell Barry.
Canons are listed here by succession, rather than by chronological order of appointment.
Canons in the succession of John Doughty

5 July 1660 – 25 December 1672 : John Doughty
11 January 1673 – 14 April 1683 : John North
3 May 1683 – bef. 1691 : Edward Felling
16 July 1691 – bef. 1707 : Stephen Upman
17 October 1707 – 6 August 1711 : Thomas Knipe, Headmaster
27 September 1711 – 7 March 1720 : Jonathan Kimberley
11 May 1720 – 4 May 1750 : Thomas Manningham, Speaker's Chaplain
2 November 1750 – bef. 1754 : Philip Yonge
30 April 1754 – 26 November 1806 : Richard Cope
1 January 1807 – 7 June 1828 : Lord Henry Fitzroy
2 August 1828 – 12 August 1844 : Henry Bayley, Archdeacon of Stow
26 October 1844 – 1869 : Christopher Wordsworth
25 February 1869 – 16 November 1894 : George Prothero
14 December 1894 – 1902 : Charles Gore
3 March 1902 – 1906 : James Welldon
16 July 1906 – 17 June 1913 : Samuel Barnett
31 July 1913 – 30 January 1931 : Robert Charles
27 March 1931 – 29 May 1936 : Percy Dearmer
2 September 1936 – 2 August 1938 : Harold Costley-White
1 October 1938 – 20 June 1940 : William Elliott
23 August 1940 – 1941 : Hensley Henson
26 December 1941 – 1963 : Adam Fox
24 January 1964 – 1 January 1968 : Joost de Blank
11 July 1968 – 1 September 1975 : Ronald Jasper
1976–1987 : Trevor Beeson
1987–1997 : Colin Semper
1997–2004 : Michael Middleton, Canon Treasurer
2005 – 31 July 2013 : Bob Reiss, Canon Treasurer and Almoner
5 October 2013 – present: David Stanton, Canon Treasurer, Almoner, Sub-Dean and Archdeacon of Westminster

Canons in the succession of Walter Jones

5 July 1660 – bef. 1672 : Walter Jones
17 July 1672 – 1689 : Simon Patrick
17 October 1689 – 2 July 1710 : Peter Birch, Speaker's Chaplain
17 July 1710 – 27 June 1746 : Lawrence Brodrick
11 July 1746 – 29 February 1788 : John Taylor
16 April 1788 – 13 November 1827 : Charles Fynes
8 December 1827 – bef. 1831 : Thomas Manners-Sutton, Speaker's Chaplain
5 September 1831 – 9 February 1881 : Lord John Thynne
10 March 1881 – 1883 : Alfred Barry, Principal of King's College London
2 February 1884 – 30 April 1890 : Brooke Foss Westcott, Regius Professor of Divinity at Cambridge and examining chaplain to Edward White Benson, Archbishop of Canterbury

Canons in the succession of Henry Killigrew

5 July 1660 – 14 March 1700 : Henry Killigrew
6 April 1700 – 11 August 1724 : Thomas Lynford
26 August 1724 – 1743 : Edward Willes
17 March 1743 – 11 August 1759 : John Heylin
2 October 1759 – 7 July 1768 : Joseph Atwell
6 August 1768 – 1 November 1796 : Charles Wake
10 February 1797 – 1799 : George Lukin
1 April 1799 – 5 November 1842 : Thomas Causton

Canons in the succession of Richard Busby

5 July 1660 – 5 April 1695 : Richard Busby, Headmaster
13 April 1695 – 28 February 1702 : Richard Willis
31 March – 28 April 1702 : Richard Martin
16 June 1702 – 21 August 1732 : Michael Evans
4 October 1732 – 1743 : William Barnard
26 April 1743 – 1748 : Robert Hay Drummond
3 May 1748 – bef. 1758 : Christopher Wilson
17 July 1758 – 27 June 1770 : Reeve Ballard
4 August 1770 – bef. October 1770 : Benjamin Kennicott
31 October 1770 – bef. 1775 : James Cornwallis
5 May 1775 – 30 December 1807 : Nathan Wetherell, Master of Univ
18 February 1808 – 1809 : Walker King
25 February 1809 – 1830 : William Carey
25 June 1830 – 6 June 1856 : James Henry Monk

Canons in the succession of John Sudbury

14 July 1660 – 1662 : John Sudbury
20 June 1662 – 18 July 1670 : Thomas Triplett
30 July 1670 – 23 August 1679 : William Owtram, Archdeacon of Leicester and Rector of St Margaret's
20 September 1679 – bef. 1701 : Richard Annesley
6 December 1701 – 1 March 1730 : Edward Gee
23 May 1730 – 2 April 1739 : Robert Thistlethwaite
18 May 1739 – 1743 : Matthew Hutton
1 December 1743 – 15 April 1784 : Thomas Wilson
7 May 1784 – 1800 : William Cleaver
21 April 1801 – 1802 : William Vincent, Headmaster
21 August 1802 – 1815 : John Ireland
26 February 1816 – 3 September 1847 : James Webber

Canons in the succession of James Lamb

23 July 1660 – 18 October 1664 : James Lamb
3 November 1664 – 1673 : Richard Perrinchief
22 September 1673 – 1674 : Richard Colebrand
16 September 1674 – 30 June 1694 : Adam Littleton
15 September 1694 – 31 January 1722 : Thomas Dent
15 February 1722 – bef. 1729 : John Wynne
25 November 1729 – 2 May 1753 : Scawen Kenrick, Speaker's Chaplain
27 April 1754 – 1768 : John Thomas
20 July 1768 – 5 February 1784 : William Stockwood
13 February 1784 – 1787 : George Pretyman
29 March 1787 – 23 March 1808 : Samuel Smith
30 April 1808 – 1822 : Frederick Blomberg
1 February 1822 – 7 February 1836 : George Holcombe
19 January 1837 – 26 March 1883 : John Jennings
19 May 1883 – 2 March 1894 : Charles Furse
31 March 1894 – 13 May 1916 : Basil Wilberforce
11 July 1916 – 19 August 1918 : Henry Gamble
1918 – 20 January 1926 : Henry de Candole
4 March 1926 – 21 March 1933 : Clifford Woodward
26 May 1933 – 1941 : Russell Barry

Canons in the succession of David Mitchel

25 July 1660 – 1662 : David Mitchel
23 April 1662 – 1669 : Samuel Bolton, Rector of St Peter le Poer
22 February 1669 – 1683 : Thomas Sprat er
13 October 1683 – 17 June 1693 : Samuel de l'Angle
1 July 1693 – 30 January 1697 : Anthony Horneck
13 February 1697 – 15 August 1715 : Samuel Barton
1715 – 15 November 1724 : John Watson
26 November 1724 – 4 April 1725 : Benjamin Ibbot
5 May 1725 – 21 September 1730 : Maurice Suckling
8 May 1731 – 1744 : Robert Freind
17 October 1744 – 1756 : William Freind
26 May 1756 – 1757 : Thomas Greene
22 March 1757 – 1761 : Thomas Newton
19 January 1762 – 26 June 1802 : Joseph Hoare
6 July 1802 – 1809 : Gerald Wellesley
11 November 1809 – 1864 : William Bentinck, Archdeacon
7 November 1864 – 5 October 1868 : Ernest Hawkins
11 November 1868 – 13 October 1881 : Francis Leighton
22 November 1881 – 23 January 1894 : Thomas Rowsell
2 March 1894 – 2 August 1900 : Charles Furse, Archdeacon
11 September 1900 – 1902 : Armitage Robinson
23 October 1902 – 15 December 1911 : Henry Beeching
21 December 1911 – 1919 : Ernest Pearce
27 June 1919 – 1921 : William Temple
27 January 1921 – December 1936 : Vernon Storr
22 March 1937 – July 1963 : Stephen Marriott
3 May 1963 – 1973 : Max Warren, Sub-Dean
17 September 1973 – 1982 : John Baker
1982–1999 : Anthony Harvey
2000–2003 : Tom Wright, Canon Theologian
2004–2011 : Nicholas Sagovsky, Canon Theologian
7 May 201130 September 2018 : Vernon White, Canon Theologian, Sub-Dean and Archdeacon
19 January 2019present: Jamie Hawkey, Canon Theologian and Almoner

Canons in the succession of Francis Walsall

1 September 1660 – 1661 : Francis Walsall, Archdeacon of Coventry
16 October 1661 – 1667 : Thomas Gorges
19 December 1667 – 1675 : Robert Boreman
21 November 1675 – 26 January 1708 : Francis Durant de Bréval
23 February 1708 – 1723 : Samuel Bradford
14 June 1723 – 25 October 1729 : John Herbert
13 November 1729 – 3 August 1732 : Edward Aspinwall
2 October 1732 – 27 January 1739 : Richard Bundy
12 February 1739 – 1749 : Thomas Hayter
9 December 1749 – 1761 : Edward Townshend
1 April 1761 – 24 June 1782 : John Blair
14 August 1782 – 1792 : Thomas Jackson
12 May 1792 – 25 September 1806 : William Cole
16 October 1806 – 1836 : Joseph Allen
7 November 1838 – 7 July 1859 : Temple Frere, Speaker's Chaplain

Canons in the succession of Herbert Thorndike

5 September 1661 – bef. 1672 : Herbert Thorndike
17 July 1672 – 28 September 1724 : Nicholas Only
17 October 1724 – 14 April 1763 : George Ingram
27 April 1763 – bef. 1765 : Philip Lloyd
February 1765 – bef. 1771 : Robert Fowler
27 June 1771 – 5 September 1778 : Thomas Young
31 October 1778 – 15 July 1792 : Robert Clive, Archdeacon of Shropshire
1 September 1792 – bef. 1797 : Charles Moss
18 December 1797 – 14 February 1818 : John Wheler
14 March 1818 – 19 July 1833 : William Tournay
9 November 1833 – 24 June 1837 : Edward Grey, Bishop of Hereford

Canons in the succession of Charles Gibbs

21 May 1662 – 16 September 1681 : Charles Gibbs
22 October 1681 – bef. 1687 : William Sill
13 June 1687 – bef. 1694 : George Berkeley
5 November 1694 – bef. 1697 : William Payne
5 March 1697 – 29 June 1715 : Richard Lucas
1715 – 28 March 1722 : Robert Cannon
7 May 1722 – January 1725 : John Mandeville, Dean of Peterborough
5 February 1725 – 16 November 1741 : James Hargraves, Rector of St Margaret's
30 November 1741 – 17 November 1754 : Richard Bullock
13 May 1755 – 1762 : John Oswald
1 July 1762 – 1 December 1772 : Charles Burdett
26 December 1772 – 16 September 1781 : Thomas Marriott
1 November 1781 – 18 May 1803 : Robert Finch, Rector of St John's
31 May 1803 – 29 September 1846 : Holland Edwards, Rector of St John's

Canons in the succession of Robert South

1663 – 8 July 1716 : Robert South
21 July 1716 – 5 September 1740 : Harry Barker
6 October 1740 – 19 September 1765 : John Nicoll
12 October 1765 – 29 September 1816 : William Bell
30 October 1816 – 18 May 1826 : William Short
2 June 1826 – bef. 1831 : Edmund Goodenough
4 October 1831 – 31 March 1836 : Henry Ryder, Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry
7 November 1838 – 6 August 1860 : Edward Repton
1860 – 13 March 1873 : Evan Nepean
1873 – 23 January 1875 : Charles Kingsley
1875 – 20 September 1911 : Robinson Duckworth
1911 – 26 October 1918 : William Boyd Carpenter, Sub-Dean
1918–1924 : Ernest Barnes
1924–1951 : Frederic Donaldson
1951–1974 : Edward Carpenter
1975–1987 : Edward Knapp-Fisher, Archdeacon
1987–1998 : Donald Gray, Rector of St Margaret's & Speaker's Chaplain
1998–2010 : Robert Wright, Rector of St Margaret's & Speaker's Chaplain
9 October 2010–17 July 2016 : Andrew Tremlett, Rector of St Margaret's
10 September 2016 – present: Anthony Ball, Canon Steward, and Almoner, Rector of St Margaret's also a part-time assistant bishop in Episcopal/Anglican Province of Alexandria, 2021-2023, and Bishop of North Africa since 2023.

Canons in the succession of George Stradling

30 July 1663 – 18 April 1688 : George Stradling
17 May 1688 – bef. 1713 : James Sartre
1713 – 10 May 1720 : Thomas Sprat yr
9 June 1720 – 19 February 1721 : William Craig
4 March 1721 – 1731 : Joseph Wilcocks
7 July 1731 – 31 May 1742 : Alured Clarke
28 June 1742 – bef. 1748 : John Hume
9 April 1748 – 15 June 1777: Edward Crane
17 July 1777 – July 1793 : Nicholas Boscawen
22 August 1793 – bef. 1807 : Thomas Hughes
27 February 1807 – 19 March 1819 : William Douglas
24 April 1819 – 27 January 1832 : Andrew Bell
22 February 1832 – 26 January 1835 : Evelyn Sutton
11 April 1835 – November 1849 : Henry Hart Milman, Rector of St Margaret's
15 December 1849 – 15 June 1864 : William Cureton
1864 – 22 March 1876 : William Conway, Rector of St Margaret's
9 May 1876 – 1895 : Frederic Farrar
1895 – January 1899 : Robert Eyton
1899–1900 : Armitage Robinson
1900–1912 : Hensley Henson
1913 – 18 October 1936 : William Hartley Carnegie
December 1936 – 25 October 1940 : Vernon Storr, Sub-Dean
1941–1946 : Alan Don
1946–1956 : Charles Smyth
1957–1969 : Michael Stancliffe
1970–1978 : David Edwards
8 September 1978 – 28 October 1989 : Sebastian Charles, Canon Steward
1990–1994 : Paul Bates
1995–2005 : David Hutt, Canon Steward
2006 – 21 June 2014 : Jane Hedges, Canon Steward
7 September 201430 April 2020 : Jane Sinclair, Rector of St Margaret's
9 May 2021present: Tricia Hillas, Canon Steward and Archdeacon of Westminster ; also Chaplain to the Speaker of the House of Commons