City's Canon to become Dean

The Queen has today appointed Lichfield Cathedral's longest-serving Canon as the new Dean of Peterborough.

The Rev Canon Charles Taylor, who came to Lichfield in 1995 as Precentor, is delighted with his new post.

Canon Taylor is set to take up the appointment on March 24 in Peterborough Cathedral and will succeed the Very Rev Michael Bunker who retired earlier this year.

He is the second former Curate of St Peter's Church in Wolverhampton to be appointed to the role of a Cathedral Dean in the past fortnight - following the appointment of the Rev Canon Keith Jukes as Dean of Ripon earlier this month.

As Canon Precentor for Lichfield, Canon Taylor is a senior member of the clergy team at the cathedral, and responsible for the worship and music there. He played a major part in helping to accommodate the BBC last week when they recorded two special editions of Songs of Praise.

Canon Taylor revealed he will be moving to Peterborough with mixed emotions. "It is very exciting. There is a great opportunity there in Peterborough with lots of things to do but it will be very hard leaving Lichfield after 12 very happy and formative years."

The Dean of Lichfield, the Very Rev Adrian Dorber, said: "Charles Taylor has made an enormous contribution to the life and worship of Lichfield Cathedral.

"His keen sense of fun, his ready wit and his great personal warmth and kindness have made him a good colleague and a trusted pastor and friend."