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diocesan registry

Registry of the Diocese of York of the Church of England

Lionel Lennox is Registrar of the Diocese and Legal Secretary to the Archbishop of York, Registrar of the Consistory Court of the Diocese and Legal Adviser of the Diocesan Synod.

Staff in the Registry
Registry Assistant: Maggie Briden
Faculty Secretary: Hazel Bell
General Secretary and Assistant: Elaine Slack


The Registrar and his staff are available to give advice to:

  • the Archbishop, suffragan bishops and archdeacons of the Diocese
  • authorised clergy (stipendiary and non-stipendiary) in the Diocese
  • chairman and secretaries of boards, councils and committees of the Diocese
  • rural deans and lay chairman of deanery synods in the Diocese
  • churchwardens and secretaries of PCC’s in the Diocese

on legal matters properly arising in connection with the discharge of their ecclesiastical synodical and parochial offices.

Advice is also available to bona fide enquirers concerning the law of marriage, baptism, confirmation and burial of the dead (coffin burials and cremated remains) according to the rites and ceremonies of the Church of England.

The Registrar and his staff prepare and register all documents required in connection with ordination, instituting and licensing of clergy and others under canon law, licensing of buildings for public worship and the consecration of churches and burial grounds.

There are some restrictions on the amount of advice and work that may be done in the Registry without payment of a fee. Guidance is given where appropriate.