THE next Dean of Guildford is to be the Ven. Robert (Bob) Cooper, the Archdeacon of Sunderland since 2018, Downing Street announced on Thursday.
Archdeacon Cooper succeeds the Very Revd Dianna Gwilliams, who retired a yr ago (Gazette, 23 June 2023).
Born in Lancashire in 1968, Archdeacon Cooper obtained a level in divinity at Aberystwyth, and studied at Lincoln Theological College, before he was ordained deacon in 1993 and priest the next yr. He was an assistant curate within the diocese of Ripon & Leeds (now a part of the diocese of Leeds), before becoming a faculty chaplain in Leeds, after which in Essex.
He was Vicar of St Matthew’s, Lightcliffe, in the previous Wakefield diocese (now a part of Leeds), from 1998 to 2005, and Vicar of St Giles and St Mary, Pontefract, until 2014. He was Rural Dean of Pontefract from 2006 to 2014, and Area Dean for the 2 years after before his appointment as Archdeacon.
Archdeacon Cooper is married to Kate Cooper and so they have 4 children. He will probably be installed in Guildford Cathedral on 26 January. He is described as having a special interest in mission, church growth, and social justice, particularly prison chaplaincy.
He said of his appointment: “There is a incredible mission potential on this town and diocese. . . While Guildford can have different issues and challenges to Durham, I stay up for continuing my focus in championing those people whose voices struggle to be heard, and ensuring the word of God inspires every connection and interaction the Cathedral has with our communities.”
Guildford Cathedral Chapter and developers have been looking for planning permission to construct 124 recent homes, including 94 flats, on land adjoining to the cathedral. The plans were dismissed on appeal in June (News, 14 June), after being rejected by Guildford Borough Council in March last yr (News, 14 April 2023).
Proceeds from the sale of the positioning on Stag Hill were expected to generate about £270,000 per yr for the cathedral. The Interim Dean, the Ven. Stuart Beake, told the BBC on the time of the appeal that it was unlikely that the cathedral would give you the option to “operate in the identical way” because it had previously, and that a further £150,000 was needed annually to cover the shortfall in meeting day-to-day costs.
He said: “Whilst naturally dissatisfied by the end result, the cathedral Chapter is decided to hold on delivering the mission of the cathedral in the neighborhood.”
