Exeter Cathedral appoints second female canon
Exeter Cathedral has appointed its second female canon in just a few months.
The Revd Victoria Thurtell will join the Cathedral this summer as Canon Precentor, looking after the Cathedral’s liturgy and music, and its choristers. All 36 boy and girl choristers attend the Cathedral School next door, and Vicky will also be priest to the school.
Canon Anna Norman Walker was appointed as the first full time women canon to the Cathedral in 900 years before Christmas. Vicky’s appointment means that the Cathedral now has two male and two female full time canons for the first time in its history.
She is currently vicar of St Peter’s Church, Dorchester and has been ordained ten years. Before ordination, she was Head of Maths at a secondary school in Dorset. She is married with two children.
She said she was delighted to be joining the Cathedral at such an exciting time in its history.
“I’m delighted to have been asked to join the Cathedral and bring the experience I’ve gained in music and leading services in Dorchester with me. I’m looking forward to working with the Dean and others as the Cathedral finds out about its ambitious plans for the Green, and reaches out wider into the community.
“The Cathedral choir also takes part in outreach programmes to schools, encouraging children to sing. I believe very passionately that music plays an important part in children’s learning and I’m looking forward to building links with schools.”
Vicky, 55, hopes to take up her new role in the summer. One of her first tasks will be to help with the appointment of the successor to Andrew Millington, the Cathedral’s director of music and choirmaster, who is retiring after 17 years in the role.
The Dean of Exeter Cathedral, the Very Revd Jonathan Draper, said: “This is a really important appointment for the Cathedral. Music and liturgy are at the heart of what we do – throughout the year the Cathedral offers hundreds of different services, from the traditional to the contemporary, and attendance at all of them has been growing steadily.
“We look forward to Vicky and her husband Clive joining us shortly.”
