Archdeacon of Ashford
The Archdeacon of Ashford is a senior office-holder in the Diocese of Canterbury (a division of the Church of England Province of Canterbury). The Archdeacon of Ashford is an Anglican priest oversees the Archdeaconry of Ashford, which is one of three subdivisions of the diocese. The current (first and only) incumbent is Philip Down, who was collated Archdeacon of Ashford on 13 March 2011.[1]
History
The archdeaconry was created under the Pastoral Measure 1983, by Trevor Willmott, Bishop of Dover (exercising the functions of diocesan bishop delegated by the Archbishop of Canterbury) on 1 February 2011.[2] At the same time, it was decided that Down (then Archdeacon of Maidstone) would transfer to the newly created role.[3]
Composition
The archdeaconry covers a central and eastern portion the diocese. As of 2012[update], the archdeaconry of Ashford consists the following deaneries in the Diocese of Canterbury:[4]
- Deanery of Ashford
- Deanery of Dover
- Deanery of Elham
- Deanery of Romney and Tenterden
- Deanery of Sandwich
