Interview: Priest who served Chard reflects on career

Yet few of his parishioners will realise that Julian, 66, who retired on Sunday, May 31, was officially an 'exorcist' for a period.

There were tears as Julian bade an emotional farewell to his congregation at Holy Trinity Church and worshippers at The Church of the Good Shepherd, in Furnham, Chard, where he had been priest-in-charge for the past three years.

Christianity was in his genes, as his father was also a Church of England priest in Sunbury-on-Thames, where Julian was born, and later in Cornwall.

Julian studied theology at Kent University, where he met and married Jane, who was on the same course.

They lived in Canterbury, where, after graduating, he worked in reinsurance, and Jane had an administrative post at a public school before joining the same company as her husband.

They moved to Maidstone and then spent a year house-sitting in Tenterden.

Next stop was Oxford, where Julian studied for the priesthood at St Stephen's House, while Jane was an administrator at the university church.

Following his ordination in 1988, Julian was appointed curate at St Michael's, Yeovil, and was acting chaplain to Yeovil District Hospital and chaplain at Yeovil Further Education College.

He then spent three years as vicar of nearby Barwick.

Since Julian arrived at Holy Trinity, he has served in several roles, including on the deanery synod and the diocesan advisory committee, administering the diocesan fund, and twice holding the post of assistant area dean.

He assisted in other parishes when there were vacancies; helped in appointment processes; was the Bishop's deliverance advisor for the diocese - a role previously officially known as 'exorcist'; trained curates and incumbents in deliverance ministry; was on the Bishop's council; and was chairman of the YMCA.

Although his official title is the Reverend Prebendary, he prefers to be called Father, reflecting his adherence to the Anglo-Catholic, or High Church, tradition.

"The title Father is a great help for younger people, enabling them to treat me as an honorary uncle," said Julian.

"I'm retiring due to ill health.

"I'm primarily going to miss the people.

"I'll miss the town as we've been here for the best part of my life, although I won't miss the traffic, which is getting worse."

He added: "When I came here, the vicarage was in Holway Avenue.

"I hadn't even seen it before moving in, as the keys had not been available at the time of my interview for the job.

"By 2014, it was deemed too small, and we moved to the current vicarage in Hillyfields.

"The parish is more of a village than the village I lived in before.

"When we first moved here, it was very strange walking around the town, not knowing anybody.

"Now it's rare not to know somebody or to be greeted by somebody when I go into town.

"I married one couple, then some years later married their daughter, who recently said she wanted me to baptise her children, but I can't as I will no longer have my licence."

Julian was, for several years, chairman of the governors at Holy Trinity Church VA Primary School.

He maintained his links there through leading collective weekly worship.

He is fondly remembered by many former pupils, who still stop him in town for a chat.

Perhaps controversially, Julian is opposed to the ordination of women.

"I'd prefer the Archbishop of Canterbury were not a woman, but the Church of England has made that decision," he added.

"I expect to receive some negative comments because of my views on women priests, but I've learned to live with those for the past 32 years.

"Of course, I'd prefer not to have those comments, but I accept that people have their strongly-held opinions, as, indeed, I do too."

After taking his final services, appropriately on Trinity Sunday, Julian and Jane are moving to King's Lynn, where he will lead a pilgrimage this month (June).

He said: "It's going to be very different settling down to a new life, developing my hobbies and enjoying life with my wife.

"I was probably the longest-serving incumbent in the diocese.

"It's been busy, with three services on Sundays and two a day for the rest of the week.

"It's been 24/7.

"On occasions, I played the organ as well as taking the service when the organist was ill or not available."

Holy Trinity worshippers will also miss Jane, who has variously served as a lay pastoral assistant in the parish, served on the deanery committee, run the church website and headed up the team that streams services.

But Father Julian assures locals they will be in safe hands until his successor is appointed - Bishop Michael Langrish, formerly of Exeter, and Father James Finnemore will be responsible for the maintenance of services at Holy Trinity, while a team of retired clergy will take care of proceedings at The Church of the Good Shepherd, in Furnham.