THE Dean of Winchester, the Very Revd Catherine Ogle, has announced her retirement “for private reasons” on 1 May 2025. It was the 12 months, she said, of her husband’s seventieth birthday and consequently “the proper time for us to maneuver right into a recent stage of life”.
She has been Dean since February 2017, since when she has overseen the £1-million organ restoration and the event of an estates masterplan for the cathedral’s conservation and development for the subsequent 30 years.
“Winchester Cathedral has a fantastic future in addition to an impressive heritage,” Dean Ogle said. “I’m enormously grateful for the journey and companionship of the previous couple of years because the cathedral has faced recent challenges, not least those of the Covid years, and the kindness and love that has been shared.”
Dean Ogle was embroiled in controversy over the summer months, after the unexpected resignation on 2 May of the director of music, Andrew Lumsden, which triggered allegations in regards to the management of the cathedral’s music department. Mark Byford, a senior non-executive member of Winchester Cathedral, who’s a former director-general of the BBC World Service, also resigned. The Precentor, Canon Andy Trenier, was put ”on light duties” and the Dean took day without work.
The unhappiness resulted within the commissioning by the Bishop of Winchester, the Rt Revd Philip Mounstephen, of an independent review into the cathedral’s governance (News, 18 June). Before she retires, the Dean will lead the implementation of its recommendations.
Bishop Mounstephen said, “Notwithstanding the challenges of the previous couple of months, I’m immensely grateful to Dean Catherine not just for the heat of her personal welcome to me, since I arrived as Bishop, but additionally for the excellence of the ministry she has exercised on the cathedral, making it a spot of generous hospitality and uplifting worship.
“I quite understand her personal reasons for going, but I’m only sorry we is not going to have had the chance to work together for longer.”
The Vice-Dean, Canon Roly Riem, will take over as Acting Dean until a everlasting successor is appointed.
It was also announced on Thursday of last week that the Interim Director of Music, Andrew Lucas, who retired from St Albans Cathedral in the summertime, would remain in post until July 2026. An announcement said: “This will allow the Cathedral time to develop its aspirations for continued excellence in worship and music. . .
“In this era necessary decisions might be made after due consultation, not least about who might be appointed the Director of Music in 2026. The Cathedrals Music Trust has agreed to support this process.
“One of Andrew’s most significant tasks might be to recruit additional Lay Clerks, aiming to revive the ‘back row’ to the complete complement of twelve. He has really helpful that promoting these posts might be best within the early New Year, which will even allow slightly longer to accumulate the team of fantastic musicians that he directs.”
