The Cathedral Chapter

The Very Reverend Toby Wright, Dean of Wells

Toby was educated at New College, Oxford, and trained for the priesthood at the College of the Resurrection, Mirfield. He served his title at St Peter’s, Petersfield in the Diocese of Portsmouth, and in 2002 he was ordained priest.  From 2004, Toby served as Priest in Charge at St John Chrysostom with St Andrew, Peckham, in the Diocese of Southwark, and in 2006 he was appointed Vicar, also serving as Area Dean of Camberwell.

In 2009, Toby took up the role of Team Rector for the Benefice of Witney and served as Area Dean of Witney from 2013 to 2019 and served as a Trustee for the Diocesan Multi-academy trust after many years as a school governor.   Toby has a love of mission, monasticism and music.  He has undertaken three years of study into Bowen Family Systems Theory through the Bowen Center in Washington DC.  In addition, Toby is Warden of the Sisters of the Community of Saint Mary the Virgin, Wantage.

Toby is married to Sally, who is also ordained, and they have two children and a small cockapoo who keeps them all on their toes.

Toby was installed as Dean of Wells on Sunday 16 June 2024.

The Reverend Canon Dr Megan Daffern, Canon Chancellor

Megan’s previous experience intertwines the pastoral, spiritual, and academic. Having served her title in the Coventry diocese, in the Rugby Team Ministry, after ordination in 2006, she spent many years in student welfare, teaching, and research in Oxford University as Chaplain of Jesus College; and in Cambridge University as a tutor at Lucy Cavendish College, and latterly as Acting Dean and Director of Studies in Theology at Gonville and Caius College. She also supported many vocations candidates and ordinands coming into ministry while she was Diocesan Director of Ordinands in the Diocese of Ely.

She continues to teach Hebrew Bible/Old Testament courses online for the Eastern Region Ministry Course, and is committed to keeping up her research in the Psalms through speaking engagements as well as publications (she hopes).

As Canon Chancellor here, she is responsible for the schools’ work, for resourcing lifelong learning, and for the Library and Archives. She is also Keeper of the Fabric and supports the breadth of volunteer ministry here.

Megan was installed as Canon Chancellor of Wells Cathedral on Sunday 24 September 2023.

The Reverend Canon Tim Stevens, Canon Precentor

Tim, as the Precentor, is responsible for the worship of the Cathedral. He comes to Wells having previously been Vicar of two South Yorkshire parishes and the Area Dean of Barnsley, where he worked across different traditions and styles of worship, and before that in Wakefield Cathedral.

Before he was ordained, Tim held a career in retail and project management. Tim was installed as Canon Precentor of Wells Cathedral on Sunday 23 June 2024.

Edward Bayntun-Coward, Lay Chapter Member

Edward is owner and manager of George Bayntun, the antiquarian bookdealers and bookbinders, established by his great-grandfather in Bath in 1894.  Prior to taking over the family company, he worked for Maggs Bros. Ltd and assisted in the creation of Sir Paul Getty’s library at Wormsley. He has a strong interest in the heritage sector and believes in the importance of maintaining and developing historic buildings to make them accessible to all.

He is an experienced trustee, having been Chair of Trustees at the Holburne Museum since 2017 (and a trustee for five years previously) and has just assumed the Chair of the Keats Shelley Memorial Association. He also currently sits on the trustee boards of the American Museum and Gardens (including as Deputy Chair since 2021), Wells Cathedral Preservation Trust and The Paper Foundation. He previously spent ten years as Chair of the Bath Preservation Trust, successfully delivering a number of projects including the redevelopment of No.1 Royal Crescent.

He served as High Sheriff of Somerset for 2016–2017 and has been a  Deputy Lieutenant of Somerset since 2017, leading on Culture & Heritage. He was appointed as a Chapter member in 2025.

Joanna Birkett, Lay Chapter Member

Joanna originally trained as a Physiotherapist. For most her adult life she has been deeply involved in church life both at a local level and more widely. Living in Oxfordshire for 31 years, she served many years on deanery Synods, 7 years of which were as Lay Chair, also on Diocesan Synod and Bishop’s Council. She was a governor at Christ Church Cathedral School for over 15 years and was Project Champion for a Free School bid.

Since moving to Wells 7 years ago Joanna has been thoroughly involved in the life of St Thomas’ Church, Wells and is on the PCC. She is also one of the original Cathedral Chorister Chaperones.

Caroline Boddington, Senior Non-Executive Chapter Member (SNEM)

Caroline has a background in in leadership development, senior appointments and organisational flourishing and latterly served as the Archbishops’ Secretary for Appointments.  She led the transformation of the leadership development for bishops and deans and the reform of the processes for recruitment to those roles. As part of this work, she shared in the discernment of dioceses, cathedrals and individuals as they explored their vocation and its outworking in particular contexts. Prior to her professional church involvement, she led the international HR department for a oil and gas company.

Caroline is a Trustee at The Ammerdown Centre and volunteers with Citizens Advice. She was given the Canterbury Cross for services to the Church of England in 2023. She serves on her PCC and sings in her church choir.

The Venerable Anne Gell, Archdeacon of Wells

Anne works with the diocesan Bishop and his staff to encourage and serve the ministry and mission of parish churches in terms of clergy appointments and the care of church buildings and their contents. She ministers with the 85 clergy and nearly 400 churchwardens to develop the diocesan mission strategy.

Colin Kerr, Lay Chapter Member

Colin is a Chartered Accountant and has just retired after a career as a Finance Director in the commercial, public, and charity sectors. His career included ten years as a FD in the NHS and six years as FD of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (where he led the 1914–18 centenary commemorations on behalf of the Commission). From 2018 to 2022, he was Chair of the Charities Committee of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland. Previously, he was Trustee Chair of Finance and Audit for the Yarlington Housing Association. Colin lives in Holcombe, Somerset. He is Chair of the Cathedral’s Finance Committee.

David Morgan-Hewitt, Lay Chapter Member

David is a London hotelier who moved to Wells seven years ago. He is passionate about the hospitality industry and promotes it widely. As a cathedral chorister at Norwich he grew up in the English Cathedral Choral tradition. He is currently the Chair of the Friends Of Wells Cathedral Grand Organ Appeal and this year he is also President of the Royal Warrant Holders Association.

Thomas Sheppard, Lay Chapter Member

As well as a successful career as a solicitor, Thomas has, throughout his working life, given his time as a chair, a trustee, and a non-executive director of many charitable and not for profit organisations which include Bath Festivals, Bath Preservation Trust, the Arnolfini, Dorothy House, the RUH NHS Trust and the Council of Management at the University of Bath. He has been a parish councillor and churchwarden, in 2021 he was the 960^th High Sheriff of Somerset and is now a deputy lieutenant of Somerset.