Since 2021, cathedrals have been governed in accordance with the Cathedrals Measure passed that year. The Measure states the purpose of cathedrals and specifies that they are to be governed by the Chapter.
Until the Cathedrals Measure 1999, there were two types of cathedrals, Dean and Chapter Cathedrals and Parish Church Cathedrals. That Measure removed this distinction and all cathedrals are constituted in the same way.
Cathedrals are governed by their Chapters as the trustee body of the cathedral. Chapters are formed of both clergy and lay people who together have the general control and management of the administration of the Chapter and are, accordingly, the charity trustees of the Chapter for the purposes of the Charities Act 2011. The composition of the Chapter varies from cathedral to cathedral but the Dean and all Residentiary Canons are members, as are a number of other people whose numbers and methods of appointment are specified in a cathedral’s governing documents, known as its Constitution and Statutes. The Chapter is chaired by the Dean.
All cathedrals also have a College of Canons which consists of the Dean and Residentiary Canons, suffragan bishops, archdeacons and honorary and lay canons. The College meets to consider cathedral affairs. It also has the task of electing a new bishop in accordance with the Appointment of Bishops Act 1533.
Cathedrals as charities
Cathedrals are ecclesiastical corporations. Corporations are Common Law entities which exist independent of their members. As such they:
- exist in perpetuity;
- can act as if they were a person so can, for example, sue or be sued in their corporate name;
- can buy and sell lands and hold them for the benefit of the members of the corporation and their successors;
- have a common seal which is used to confirm their actions;
- can make by-laws or statutes for the regulation of their own affairs; and
- because of the need to supervise corporate acts, have a Visitor.
Cathedrals are corporations aggregate established for spiritual purposes.
All cathedrals are registered charities. Prior to the Cathedrals Measure 2021 cathedrals were excluded from registration but they are now registered and regulated by both the Charity Commission and the Church Commissioners.