A NEW priest has been appointed to take charge of the parish of Christchurch.

He is Canon Charles Stewart, who has been vicar of Walton-on-Thames since 2006.

He will arrive after Easter to fill the post which has been vacant since the sudden resignation of Father Chris Mann last June.

Before moving to Walton-on-Thames, Mr Stewart was precentor and sacrist at Winchester Cathedral, where he had been chiefly responsible for the cathedral’s liturgy and music since 1994.

A statement from the Priory’s church wardens added: “The Parish of Christchurch looks forward to welcoming Charles and Pat, together with their children Kate and Jonny (both in their 20s) after Easter. Our prayers are with the Parish of Walton-on-Thames as they pre-pare for an interregnum.”

Mr Stewart will be responsible for three churches serving a population of around 26,000 people.

Christchurch Priory, which is more than 900 years old, is part of the Greater Churches network. It welcomes around 90,000 visitors a year and is known for its thriving musical tradition.

Its two daughter churches are St George’s in Jumpers Road and the Mission Chu-rch of St John in Purewell.

The church wardens of Mr Stewart’s current parish in Walton-on-Thames said in a statement: “We would like to extend our congratulations to Charles on his new appointment and our thanks to Charles and Pat for the enormous contribution they have made to our parish. “Charles’s last Sunday will be April 5, Easter Sunday, and there will of course be a farewell celebration where we will all have the opportunity to thank them.

“As they prepare to move and continue God’s work, let us remember Charles and Pat, Kate and Jonny, and the parish of Christchurch in our prayers. We wish them every happiness in their future.”

Father Chris Mann, who had been the town’s vicar since 2011, announced his departure last year via Twitter, saying there had been a “breakdown of trust” with the church wardens.

Christchurch Priory has also announced the appointment of a new director of music, Simon Earl, who has been assistant director of music at Wakefield Cathedral for the last four years. He is due to take up the post in February. Andrew Post will cover music responsibilities for six weeks after the departure of current director of music Hugh Morris.