The Bishop of London has offered our vicar, Brian, the Prebendal Stall of Reculversland in St Paul’s Cathedral. What does that mean?

The prebendaries (in other places called canons) are office holders who, traditionally, have taken part in the daily round of services in the Cathedral and who together form the Greater Chapter of the Cathedral. The income to maintain these prebendaries used to come from prebendal manors or estates. Brian’s prebend is called Reculversland and is an ancient manor in Essex. Now the only link with this estate is the name of the prebend written above the stall which the Prebendary occupies in the choir of the Cathedral.

In today’s world the prebendaries are usually priests of the diocese who have served the diocese for some years or carried out particular tasks on behalf of the diocese. For Brian, his work not only as vicar for 16 years, but also as Director of Ordinands and co-ordinator of the partnership between the Diocese of London and the German Protestant Church in Berlin are the reasons the Bishop of London cites in offering him this honour. Brian was installed as a Prebendamy of St. Paul’s Cathedral on Sunday 22nd May. So now if you ever want to visit St Paul’s, speak to our man on the inside!

Source: The Spire Magazine - 2005 June