Faculty Jurisdiction

A Faculty is a permission granted by the Consistory Court of the Diocese for work to be carried out to consecrated buildings and land, which will usually include the church and churchyard and fixtures, fittings and furnishings. The jurisdiction is normally exercised by the Chancellor of the Diocese, or in the case of some specified matters, by the appropriate Archdeacon.

A faculty is required for any work affecting consecrated land or buildings, including:

In most cases the faculty jurisdiction is exercised by the Chancellor of the Diocese. In determining an application for a faculty the Chancellor will have regard to advice from the Diocesan Advisory Committee for the Care of Churches, the DAC. The DAC reviews all faculty applications, and consists of a number of experienced advisors with wide ranging expertise on church buildings and furnishings. Members include the Archdeacons, several other clergy, architects and other specialists and a representative from English Heritage. The committee can call upon additional expert advice where necessary. The DAC meets regularly to consider faculty applications, usually on the first Thursday of each month. The functions of the DAC are set out formally in the Care of Churches and Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction Measure 1991.

The Norwich DAC is administered by its Secretary, Mrs Jean Gosling, who may contacted at jean.gosling@norwich.anglican.org or by telephone on 01603 882 350. Her address for written correspondence with the DAC is:

DAC Secretary
Diocesan House
109 Dereham Road
Easton
NORWICH
Norfolk
NR9 5ES