A FAMILY lawyer has been appointed the new Chancellor of the Diocese of Salisbury.

Former Bournemouth Crown Court judge, His Honour Sam Wiggs, left his post yesterday (FRI), making way for his replacement Ruth Arlow.

Under her new role, it is her duty to hear and determine disputed cases impartially according to the rule of law, and she is able to grant marriage licences.

She will also carry out work on 'faculty jurisdiction’; permitting historic buildings to be transformed into suitable places for Church of England worship.

The Bishop of Salisbury, the Rt Revd Nicholas Holtam, said: “Since May 1997 His Honour Judge Sam Wiggs has been Chancellor of the Diocese of Salisbury. Sam has served the diocese with distinction and last year indicated that he would like to retire in the near future.

“After a careful search I am pleased to announce the appointment of Ruth Arlow as our new Chancellor. Her legal practice, based at Pump Court Chambers, has been in the area of family law as well as the considerable specialism in ecclesiastical law and religious liberty she has developed.

“She knows this part of the country well as she lives in Somerset. Since 2012 she has been Chancellor in the Diocese of Norwich, a post in which she will continue whilst also being our Chancellor.

“I shall be licensing Ruth as Chancellor on Monday (FEB 22). I am sure that Synod will want to join me in thanking Sam warmly for his exceptional service and wish him well in his retirement, not least with the project to re-order Tisbury parish church. We will be looking for an occasion to welcome Ruth to the Diocese.”