October & November 2024 – Before planning your visit, please check our ‘Visitor Notices’ for accessibility updates and one-off changes to opening times. Click here to view.

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NEWCASTLE CATHEDRAL
A BEACON OF LIGHT

OPENING TIMES
Saturdays and Sundays
8am-5pm
Mondays to Fridays
8am-6pm
Café 16
Mon-Sat 10am-4pm
FREE ENTRY

Governance and Policy

The Cathedral’s Measure 2021 is the legislation that sets out how Cathedrals are governed. It also requires Cathedrals to be registered with the Charity Commission. Newcastle Cathedral became a registered charity on 30th June 2023 (charity number 1203907). The Trustees of the charity are the members of Chapter whose role is to operate the charity for public benefit.

Chapter

The Chapter of the Cathedral Church of St Nicholas, Newcastle, is the governing body of Newcastle Cathedral. It comprises the Dean, Residentiary Canons and up to eight ‘non-executive’ members (at least two-thirds of whom must be laypeople). The Bishop attends a meeting of the Chapter at least once every year and also appoints one of the non-executive members as the Senior Non-Executive Member.
The Cathedral is regulated by and accountable to both the Church Commissioners and the Charity Commission.
There are four statutory committees which report to Chapter. They are the Finance and Investment Committee, Audit and Risk Committee, Safeguarding Committee and the Nominations Committee.
Chapter receive a report from Cathedral’s strategic/operational Senior Management Team (SMT) at every meeting.
The Chief Operating Officer reports to Chapter at every meeting, which includes items relating to finance, fabric, H&S and HR.

Chapter membership

The Dean of Newcastle, The Very Reverend Lee Batson
Canon for Mission, The Reverend Canon Zoe Heming
Canon for Worship & Congregational Life, The Reverend Canon Ruth Hulse
The Archdeacon of Northumberland, The Venerable Rachel Wood
Mr David Bilton (Bishop’s appointment and Senior Non-Executive Member)
Ms Edna Beveridge (Bishop’s appointment)
Mr Gavin Black
Mr John Inglis-Jones
Mr Eric Jubb (congregational appointment)
Mr David Lawrence (congregational appointment)
Chapter Steward is Kate Sussams, Chief Operating Officer, who attends every Chapter meeting

The College of Canons

Chapter is supported by the College of Canons which brings together a wide geographical reach and rich expertise. The Canons are ambassadors for the Cathedral and offer us wise counsel. The College of Canons is composed of Honorary and Lay Canons appointed by the Bishop and it supports the life of the Cathedral in many different ways. The members of the College of Canons are the Bishop, the Dean, Suffragan and full-time Assistant Bishops, the Archdeacons and every Lay and Clerical Canon of the Cathedral. The Chapter seeks to keep the College of Canons informed about the work of the Cathedral and may seek its views on various matters.

Click here for the Constitution (PDF)

Click here for the Statutes (PDF)