Welcome to the Norwich Diocesan Registry web site

The Anglican Diocese of Norwich was founded in 1094. It covers all of the County of Norfolk, apart from a small area in the extreme west of the county, which lies in the Diocese of Ely, plus the Waveney area of north east Suffolk, with a population of approximately 833,000. The Diocese has 577 parishes, with some 209 benefices and 648 church buildings.

Wireless Broadband in Churches

The Chancellor of the Diocese held a hearing of the Consistory Court at Postwick on 26 September 2011… [more]

Wireless Broadband in Churches Wireless Broadband in Churches

Common Licences for Marriage

A new fee of £125 came into force for applications for Common Licences for Marriage from 1st April 2011.… [more]

Common Licences for Marriage Common Licences for Marriage

Table of Parochial Fees

A new Table of Parochial Fees came into force on 1st January 2011. Note that this has not yet been updated… [more]

Table of Parochial Fees Table of Parochial Fees

The Work of the Diocesan Registry

Each Diocese of the Church of England has two Legal Officers, the Chancellor and the Registrar, who may have deputies. The following are the main areas of work undertaken by the Registrar at the Diocesan Registry:

Advice
The giving of advice to the Bishops and all other clergy, to diocesan boards and committees, and to Churchwardens and Parochial Church Councils, and dealing with general enquiries from members of the public in relation to marriage, baptism, burial, etc.
Appointments
The preparation of notices, licences, permissions, instruments and all other documents relating to the appointment of clergy and lay office holders.
Consecrations
The preparation of the documents required for the consecration of churches, churchyards and cemeteries.
Diocesan Records
The maintenance of records relating to churches, clergy, etc.

Faculties
The granting of Faculties to authorise changes or additions to consecrated buildings and burial grounds.
Marriage Licences
The issue of Common Licences on behalf of the Bishop of Norwich, to authorise marriages in parish churches and in other buildings licensed for the solemnisation of marriages according to the rites and ceremonies of the Church of England.
Patronage
Maintenance of a register of patrons of the diocese, and ensuring that the provisions of the Patronage (Benefices) Measure 1986 are complied with in relation to the filling of vacant benefices.

Latest News

HM the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee

January 13, 2012 By Stuart

Parishes wishing to mark the 2012 Diamond Jubilee of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II by the introduction of an appropriate memorial into their church should note that if the proposed memorial includes a copy of the Royal Arms, the permission of the Crown will be required before a faculty can be granted. Advice should be sought from [...]

Clergy Guide to Marriage Questions

January 4, 2012 By Stuart

The General Register Office has produced a very useful Guide for the Clergy, which will be of particular help to clergy dealing with marriage registers, but it also contains a good outline of the general law relating to marriages, as well as baptisms and burials.

Postwich Church

Wireless Broadband in Churches

November 22, 2011 By admin

The Chancellor of the Diocese held a hearing of the Consistory Court at Postwick on 26 September 2011 to consider an application for a Faculty to install Wireless Broadband equipment at the church of Postwick, All Saints, just east of Norwich. The equipment is designed to enable local subscribers to access high speed broadband internet [...]

About Us

His Honour Judge Paul Downes LL.M is Chancellor of the Diocese of Norwich. He has also been the Chancellor of the Diocese of Wakefield since January 2006.

The Deputy Chancellor of the Diocese of Norwich is Ruth Arlow, who is a barrister practising from Chambers in London. She is also the Deputy Chancellor of the Diocese of Chichester.

Stuart Jones was admitted as a Solicitor in 1983 and is employed by Birketts LLP in Norwich.

He has been the Registrar of the Diocese of Norwich and the Bishop’s Legal Secretary since 1 January 2009. [Read More...]

Contact Us

Norwich Diocesan Registry

Birketts LLP
Kingfisher House
1, Gilders Way
Norwich
NR3 1UB

DX 5230 Norwich

Telephone : 01603 756 400
Fax : 01603 756 554

Stuart Jones M.A. (Cantab.), Diocesan Registrar
A Solicitor regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority
stuart.jones@norwich.anglican.org
Telephone : 01603 756 501

Gill Hadlum, Clerk to the Diocesan Registry
gill.hadlum@norwich.anglican.org
Telephone : 01603 756 459