The Archdeacon of Buckingham, Venerable Karen Gorham, has been announced as the 36th Bishop of Sherborne.

She will be the eighth woman bishop named by the Church of England and her responsibilities fall mainly within Dorset parishes, under the Diocese of Salisbury.

“It has been a real privilege to serve the church in Buckinghamshire and work in the Diocese of Oxford," she said.

"I now look forward to getting to know the people and places of Dorset, an area I have loved since childhood holidays.

“Dorset is a place of story, from Enid Blyton to Thomas Hardy, whose poetry I particularly enjoy, and we all have a unique story to tell, as individuals and as Christian Communities, of God’s love and grace. That's our witness to the world, and our biggest challenge is to have the confidence to share it.”

Karen trained for the ministry at Trinity College, Bristol, and prior to ordination worked as an administrator with BTEC and the Royal Society of Arts and as a Pastoral Assistant in Essex and Hull.

She later worked as a priest in Yorkshire and Kent from 1995 to 2007, before becoming Archdeacon of Buckingham in 2007. Karen has been a member of the Church of England General Synod for 12 years.

Her interests include travel and walking, the coast and Celtic spirituality. She enjoys days out with friends and an occasional visit to a good restaurant.

Karen has also been a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts since 2012.

Bishop Nicholas said: “Karen has experience and brings gifts to help us with renewing hope: pray, serve, grow. I think St Aldhelm would be pleased with her appointment, the first woman to the See of Sherborne which he founded.

"She emerged as the right person for this post from a company of excellent men and women considered equally. The Anglo-Saxon Church included women in authority as well as men, like St Cuthberga of Wimborne and St Edith of Wilton. Karen’s appointment is good news for Salisbury and for the Church of England.”

Karen will be consecrated as a bishop on February 24 at Westminster Abbey.