Winchester Cathedral 'welcomes' independent review

 The Bishop of Winchester, Philip Mounstephen, announced the review on Tuesday, June 18, after the resignation of Mark Byford, the senior non-executive member of Winchester Cathedral Chapter.

Mr Byford said he resigned with 'deep reluctance and disappointment' after joining the Chapter in 2017. 

The former deputy director-general of the BBC said: "Unfortunately, and with great sadness, I have come to the conclusion that it is in the best interests of the Cathedral, myself and associated relationships within Chapter, that I take this course of action."

A spokesperson for the cathedral has said: "Winchester Cathedral welcomes Bishop Mounstephen’s Review. We are committed to fully engaging in the process, which will be conducted for the Bishop by an independent third party."

READ MORE: Mark Byford resigns from Winchester Cathedral Chapter

Mark Byford has stood down after seven years in the Winchester Cathedral Chapter They continued: "We appreciate the Bishop’s support and share a desire to quickly understand and address any concerns related to our culture, management, or governance — particularly in light of the recent concerns around the management of the much-loved choral tradition.

"We recognise that trust in the Cathedral’s leadership is essential for a healthy and flourishing church and see a review as an opportunity to work towards that end goal.

"With the news of his resignation, we also want to thank Mark Byford for his dedicated service as Senior Non-Executive Member of Chapter at Winchester Cathedral over the past seven years. His contribution to the Cathedral has been invaluable. We wish him every blessing for the future and will soon share plans to ensure we can honour his contribution."

The Bishop of Winchester Philip Mounstephen (Image: Diocese of Winchester) Mr Byford's departure from the cathedral came amid concerns over the future of music at the cathedral.

Initial concerns emerged following the announcement that the director of music at Winchester Cathedral, Dr Andrew Lumsden, would be stepping down at the end of July.

Former choristers had also expressed their fears over the departures of organist Claudia Grinnell and, in 2021, George Castle.

SEE MORE: Bishop of Winchester launches Cathedral review after resignation of senior member

Toshi Ogita, chorister and professional singer who deputises for the Lay Clerks, broke ranks to write a public letter to the bishop asking him to intervene.

The Dean of Winchester Cathedral has previously said that it is working to address concerns over the future of music at the cathedral - and has committed to investing £850,000 into improving it. 

The Very Reverend Catherine Ogle, Dean of Winchester, said: “We want people to know we’re listening to the concerns expressed around the management of cathedral music, including concerns about the culture. We are actively working on addressing these and will communicate more in the near future.”