The Prime Minister’s Office has announced the appointment of Canon Christopher Palmer as the next Dean of Winchester. The press release is copied below. There is more information on the cathedral website. Canon Palmer will be installed on 15 March 2026.
Appointment of Dean of Winchester: 8 December 2025
The King has approved the nomination of The Reverend Canon Christopher Palmer, Canon Residentiary and Treasurer of Exeter Cathedral, as Dean of Winchester.
From: Prime Minister’s Office, 10 Downing Street
Published 8 December 2025
The King has approved the nomination of The Reverend Canon Christopher Palmer, Canon Residentiary and Treasurer of Exeter Cathedral, as Dean of Winchester, in succession to The Very Reverend Catherine Ogle following her retirement.
Background
Christopher was educated at University of Oxford and trained for ministry at St Stephen’s House, Oxford. He served his title at All Saints, Emscote, in the Diocese of Coventry, and was ordained Priest in 1999. He served as Team Vicar of All Saints, East Sheen, in the Diocese of Southwark and, from 2005, was also the Area Dean of Richmond and Barnes. In 2010, Christopher was appointed Team Rector of Merton Priory.
From 2018 Christopher served as Canon Chancellor of Exeter Cathedral and he took up his current role as Canon Treasurer in 2022.
I wish him well in what has to be a mission of recovery after a very difficult period. I was also rather surprised by the announcement from the cathedral and in particular the comment that they welcome his ‘commitment to the Bible’. What person would be made Dean who did not have a proper Anglican commitment to the Scriptures? Or is there some special Winchester level of devotion that I am not picking up? Is this, perhaps, an evangelical diocese making a point to a Staggers-trained new Dean? If it is, it is rather clunky, and unnecessary.
Going back a few Deans, my late brother in law was dean at Winchester, James Atwell, and he certainly took the Scriptures seriously. Much missed.
https://youtu.be/3yy_yUNiR8c?si=O_nhSwnJUBa544jG
I asked my sister what he would have done given recent circumstances. She replied that he would never have allowed the circumstances to arise.
I agree. “ Chris’s commitment to the Bible, spirituality, historic fabric, and to families will be very welcome”. Is that “in no particular order”, by any chance?!
Given that it is Roly Riem who made the remarks about commitment to the Bible – I rather doubt that he was intending to suggest what you wondered. Rather given that Christopher Palmer has a doctorate in a topic that draws on the New Testament – I suspect it is just seeking to affirm the new Dean’s own interests and passions. And actually there have been one or two very good biblical scholars and lecturers associated with Staggers over the years – John Muddiman for example.
Chris is an excellent choice in very many ways!
I should hate to ask a question on TA the answer to which might be seen as being personal and private, but on reflection I don’t think the future Dean of Winchester, Christopher Palmer, will mind my raising this point. Palmer is the family name of the Earl of Selborne. The third Earl of Selborne, Roundell Cecil Palmer (1887-1971), was a prominent Anglican layman. His daughter Lady Laura Palmer became Lady Laura Eastaugh on marrying future Bishop of Peterborough Cyril Eastaugh. Is there a connection?
On the other hand, might he be related to thev splendid footballer Cole Palmer who plays for Chelsea.
I have just confirmed on AI that Palmer is the ’76th to 80th most common surname in the UK’.
…or might there now be a ready supply of biscuits to accompany coffee after services at Winchester? George Palmer of Huntley and Palmers? 😀🍪🍪🍪
I don’t know the answer and would not presume to offer one, but there is an angle to this which will interest you. A distinguished contributor to TA, has more than once referred to Lord Selborne as successfully advocating the creation of the Diocese of Portsmouth, separating it from the larger Diocese of Winchester. Following the necessary parliamentary discussion and approval the Measure was passed giving effect to that in 1923. I wasn’t sure whether this was the second or third Earl, but a Google search suggests that both father and son were “the prime movers”.
This is very interesting. Thank you, and please post on TA any further thoughts you have.
This has got to be one of the most Anglican threads going, that it is now focussing on the new Dean’s connection to biscuits (or not).
Arnott’s Biscuits are a major biscuit manufacturer in Australia and have been for well over a century. Its founder William Arnott (1827-1901) emigrated to Australia from Scotland. Arnott is not a very common name, and when I learned of Archbishop Felix Arnott of Brisbane (1911-1988) I wondered whether he and William might be related. Felix Arnott went to Australia from England when he was in his late twenties. Arnott’s SAO biscuits, which are for eating with margarine and a topping, were introduced in 1904 and are still available. It was well known that SAO stands for Salvation Army Officer, though… Read more »
Yes, some TA readers can be relied on to make flippant comments, but let’s wish God speed to Dean Christopher in restoring trust and hope at Winchester after the sad events of recent years.
There isn’t any connection. Chris wasn’t born with a silver spoon in his mouth. He comes from a rather ordinary family. If memory serves, his father was a doctor/surgeon. Born in London, he grew up in Coventry.