# Jane Hedges > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Jane_Hedges > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Jane_Hedges.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jane_Hedges > Source revision: 1345340115 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|British priest}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox Christian leader | type = priest | honorific-prefix = [The Very Reverend](/source/The_Very_Reverend) | name = Jane Hedges | honorific-suffix = | image = Ecumenical Service St John's Cathedral Norwich (44854676435) (Jane Hedges cropped).jpg | caption = Hedges in 2018 | title = | church = | diocese = | term = | other_post = [Canon Steward, Westminster Abbey](/source/Dean_and_Chapter_of_Westminster) (2006–2014)
[Archdeacon of Westminster](/source/Archdeacon_of_Westminster) (2006–2009 & 2010–2014)
[Dean of Norwich](/source/Dean_of_Norwich) (2014–2022)
Acting [Dean of Canterbury](/source/Dean_of_Canterbury) (2022)
Acting [Dean of Newcastle](/source/Dean_of_Newcastle) (2023) | ordination = 1987 (deacon)
1994 (priest) | ordained_by = | consecration = | consecrated_by = | birth_name = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1956|4|6|df=y}} | birth_place = | death_date = | death_place = | buried = | nationality = | religion = [Church of England](/source/Church_of_England) | residence = | parents = | spouse = Chris Hedges | children = 2 | occupation = | profession = | previous_post = | education = | alma_mater = [Durham University](/source/Durham_University) }} '''Jane Barbara Hedges''' (born 6 April 1956) is a British [Anglican](/source/Anglican) priest who served as [Dean of Norwich](/source/Dean_of_Norwich) from 2014 to 2022.{{cite web|title=First female Dean of Norwich appointed|url=http://www.dioceseofnorwich.org/article?id=1744|publisher=Diocese of Norwich|access-date=13 July 2014|archive-date=22 February 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222194028/http://www.dioceseofnorwich.org/article?id=1744|url-status=dead}} Considered a "trailblazer for women in the priesthood",[https://www.edp24.co.uk/lifestyle/jane-hedges-dean-norwich-cathedral-8896206 Mark Nicholls, "Jane Hedges: A trailblazer for women in the priesthood", ''Eastern Daily Press''] 16 April 2022. Retrieved 15 June 2022. she was also acting [Dean of Canterbury](/source/Dean_of_Canterbury) in 2022 and interim [Dean of Newcastle](/source/Dean_of_Newcastle) in 2023.[https://www.newcastle.anglican.org/about-us/leadership/dean-of-newcastle/ Diocese of Newcastle, Dean]. Retrieved 13 February 2023.{{cite web |title=The Very Revd Jane Barbara HEDGES BA (Hons), Hon PhD |url=https://www.crockford.org.uk/people/w13579/the-very-revd-jane-barbara-hedges |website=Church of England Year Book |publisher=The Archbishops' Council |access-date=12 May 2022}} ==Early life and education== Hedges grew up in Hampshire and was educated at Sarisbury Secondary School, leaving at the age of 16. After a year of college, she began working as a junior bank clerk when she felt the call to ordination. She continued her education with a general studies degree at the [University of Durham](/source/University_of_Durham), where she was a member of [St John's College, Durham](/source/St_John's_College%2C_Durham), graduating with a [Bachelor of Arts](/source/Bachelor_of_Arts) (BA) degree in 1978.{{cite web |title=XXIV (ns) including supplement |url=http://reed.dur.ac.uk/xtf/view?docId=bookreader/DU_Gazettes/DUGazette24/dg24METS.xml#page/46/mode/2up |website=Durham University Gazette |access-date=4 October 2018 |language=en}} She trained for ministry at [Cranmer Hall, Durham](/source/Cranmer_Hall%2C_Durham) from 1978 to 1980. ==Career== Hedges felt called to the priesthood since the age of 17, a time when women were not allowed to become priests. She became a [deaconess](/source/deaconess) in 1980 and, as [Church of England](/source/Church_of_England) [laws on the ministry of women](/source/Ordination_of_women_in_the_Anglican_Communion) evolved, her career progressed with her ordination as [deacon](/source/deacon) in 1987 and as [priest](/source/priest) in 1994. Hedges served as curate of the parish of Holy Trinity with St Columba in [Fareham](/source/Fareham), [Hampshire](/source/Hampshire), from 1980 to 1983 and was a team vicar in [Southampton](/source/Southampton) from 1983 to 1988. In 1988 she became Stewardship Adviser in the [Diocese of Portsmouth](/source/Anglican_Diocese_of_Portsmouth) and in 1993 was appointed [Canon Residentiary](/source/Canon_Residentiary) of [Portsmouth Cathedral](/source/Portsmouth_Cathedral). From 2001 she served in the team ministry of [Honiton](/source/Honiton) in the [Diocese of Exeter](/source/Diocese_of_Exeter), including as [rural dean](/source/rural_dean).{{cite web|title=Jane Hedges to be Dean of Norwich|date=7 February 2014|url=http://www.thinkinganglicans.org.uk/archives/006429.html|publisher=Thinking Anglican}} In 2006 she became [Canon Steward](/source/Canon_Steward) of [Westminster Abbey](/source/Westminster_Abbey) and [Archdeacon of Westminster](/source/Archdeacon_of_Westminster). In 2013 she was appointed [Sub-Dean](/source/Sub-Dean) of the Abbey. Her time there coincided with many notable events, including the [wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton](/source/wedding_of_Prince_William_and_Catherine_Middleton), the [state visit of Pope Benedict XVI](/source/State_visit_by_Pope_Benedict_XVI_to_the_United_Kingdom) and a memorial service for [Nelson Mandela](/source/Nelson_Mandela) at which [Desmond Tutu](/source/Desmond_Tutu) preached. ===As Dean=== Hedges's appointment as the [Dean of Norwich](/source/Dean_of_Norwich) was celebrated at a service held at [Norwich Cathedral](/source/Norwich_Cathedral) on 21 June 2014. She was the 39th Dean of Norwich and the first female Dean in the cathedral’s 900 year history.[https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/new-dean-of-norwich-says-norfolk-already-feels-like-home-671790 Emma Knights, "New Dean of Norwich says Norfolk already feels like home", ''Eastern Daily Press''], 20 June 2014. Retrieved 15 June 2022. Despite speculation that she might become a bishop,{{cite news|last1=Stanford|first1=Peter|title=Will Jane Hedges be the C of E's first woman bishop?|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/10961866/Will-Jane-Hedges-be-the-C-of-Es-first-woman-bishop.html|work=Telegraph|date=12 July 2014}} Hedges continued in her role until in October 2021 she announced her intention to retire, effective 1 May 2022.[https://www.cathedral.org.uk/about/news/detail/2021/10/18/the-dean-to-retire-in-may-2022 Norwich Cathedral, "The Dean announces her retirement"], 18 October 2021. Retrieved 15 June 2022. On 8 May 2022, it was announced that she had been appointed Canon Residentiary of [Canterbury Cathedral](/source/Canterbury_Cathedral), and from June to December 2022 she served as acting [Dean of Canterbury](/source/Dean_of_Canterbury).{{cite web |title=Canterbury appointment for Dean Jane |url=https://www.cathedral.org.uk/about/news/detail/2022/05/08/canterbury-appointment-for-dean-jane |website=Norwich Cathedral |access-date=12 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220508105925/https://www.cathedral.org.uk/about/news/detail/2022/05/08/canterbury-appointment-for-dean-jane |archive-date=8 May 2022 |date=8 May 2022}} On 22 January 2023, she was appointed as interim [Dean of Newcastle](/source/Dean_of_Newcastle),{{cite web |title=Appointment of Interim Dean of Newcastle |url=https://www.newcastle.anglican.org/news/appointment-of-interim-dean-of-newcastle.php |website=Diocese of Newcastle |access-date=22 December 2022 |date=19 December 2022}} a position she held until 14 October 2023.[https://newcastlecathedral.org.uk/celebrating-our-new-dean-the-very-reverend-lee-batson/ Newcastle Cathedral, "Celebrating our new Dean, The Very Reverend Lee Batson"], 14 October 2023. Retrieved 2 November 2023. ==Family== Hedges is married to Chris Hedges, a teacher, and has two sons. ==References== {{Reflist}} {{S-start}} {{S-rel|en}} {{S-bef|before=[Graham Smith](/source/Graham_Smith_(priest))}} {{S-ttl|title=[Dean of Norwich](/source/Dean_of_Norwich)|years=2014–2022}} {{S-aft|after=[Andrew Braddock](/source/Andrew_Braddock_(priest))}} {{S-end}} {{Archdeacons of Westminster}} {{Deans of Norwich}} {{authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Hedges, Jane Barbara}} Category:1956 births Category:Living people Category:21st-century English Anglican priests Category:Alumni of St John's College, Durham Category:Alumni of Cranmer Hall, Durham Category:Canons of Westminster Category:Deans of Norwich --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Jane Hedges](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jane_Hedges) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jane_Hedges?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.