Norwich Cathedral's first female dean retires

The Very Reverend Jane Hedges took up the position at Norwich Cathedral in 2014

Special services have been held to mark the retirement of the first female dean of Norwich.

The Very Reverend Jane Hedges stepped down from the position at the city's Anglican cathedral on Sunday.

In 2014, she became the first woman to hold the post in the cathedral's 900-year history.

In her farewell sermon she said she prayed for "a spirit of openness to new ideas, embracing new people, developing new projects" at the cathedral.

"As the cathedral looks to the future my prayer is that these aspects of its life will never change: its prayer, its worship, its hospitality and its education," she said.

The Dean also took part in an interview with the Bishop of Norwich, the Right Reverend Graham Usher, during the Festal Evensong

Last month, she was given the Freedom of the City by Norwich City Council for her initiatives and contributions to civic life.

Dr Hedges was praised for the installations of the helter-skelter and the Natural History Museum's Dippy the Dinosaur exhibition in the cathedral.

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In 2006 she became the first female Canon at Westminster Abbey, moving from there in 2014 to become the 39th Dean of Norwich.

The cathedral's canon librarian and vice-dean, the Reverend Dr Peter Doll, will be the acting dean from May until a new permanent one is appointed.