The Reverend Canon Sandie Barton

The narrow view from the stall of St. Mary Beodricsworth, Saint Edmunsbury Cathedral.

We're pleased to announce that Sandie Barton, 'our' Vicar of the Church Group that encompasses Barton Mills, Freckenham, Worlington, and West Row, is now the Reverend Canon Sandie Barton. The Bishop of St. Edmundsbury and Ipswich (the Right Reverend Martin Seeley) appointed her Honorary Canon to the College of Canons of the Cathedral Church and into the stall of St. Mary of Beodricsworth. She was invested as part of a special Solemn Evensong at St. Edmundsbury Cathedral on Sunday, the 22nd November, 2015. As explained by St. Edmundsbury Cathedral:

"The College of Canons is an important body in the life of the Cathedral and diocese. When requested by the Bishop, the College advises him on any matter. It is also, under the Appointment of Bishops Act 1533, the body which elects a new diocesan bishop, though it no longer has any power to nominate candidates. In addition, the College meets to consider the Cathedral's Annual Report and Accounts of the Cathedral and any other matters in the life of the Cathedral that its members see fit to raise. Honorary and Lay Canons are appointed in recognition of the expertise or experience they bring and contribution they make to the life of the diocese and wider church."

The stall of St. Mary of Beodricsworth is named in reference to the early foundations of the Christian church in East Anglia. Beodricsworth was the town now much grown and known as Bury St. Edmunds, but long before it was renamed in honour of the shrine of St. Edmund it was the site of earlier churches. Perhaps the earliest of these was commanded built by St. Felix - the first Bishop of East Anglia and colleague of St. Augustine - and this was dedicated to the Blessed Mary, Mother of God, sometime around 640 AD. It was in this church that Bishop St. Felix established his episcopal throne and supposedly left instructions that it was to remain forevermore the mother church in East Anglia (spoilers: it didn't immediately go as well as he'd hoped!). It is in honour of this first episcopal church in (now) Bury St. Edmunds that the stall is dedicated.

The Canon

The Reverend Canon Sandie Barton, wearing scarlet, and speaking to a congregation on the green at Barton Mills.

Now Honorary Canon of the College of Canons, St. Edmundsbury Cathedral: the Reverend Canon Sandie Barton.

The Cushion

The embroidered cushion in the stall of Saint Mary of Beodricsworth, Saint Edmundsbury Cathedral. It is blue with scarlet flowers and shows the seated Saint Mary (Mother of God) representing the original church of that name.

The embroidered cushion in the stall of St. Mary of Beodricsworth, Saint Edmundsbury Cathedral.

The (Past) Bishop

A representation of Saint Felix of Burgundy, first Bishop of the East Angles. He is clothed in gold.

Saint Felix of Burgundy, first Bishop of the East Angles. This image of him is from the reredos at St. Peter Mancroft in Norwich. We assume he didn't actually dress so flashily, but who knows...