ONE of Wales’ best-known – and best-loved – priests is to be the new Archdeacon of Cardigan.

Canon Eileen Davies will take over from the present archdeacon, Dr Will Strange, when he retires at the end of May.

She is the first woman to be appointed archdeacon in the diocese of St Davids.

Canon Eileen has won widespread acclaim – and several awards – for her work with farming communities in West Wales.

She was the driving force behind the establishment in 2015 of Tir Dewi, which has helped hundreds of farming families facing financial and/or emotional difficulties.

A working farmer herself, she has been the St Davids diocesan adviser on rural affairs since 2005, the year she was ordained into the priesthood.

She is also parish priest to four parishes in mid-Ceredigion - Llanerchaeron, Ciliau Aeron, Dihewyd and Mydroilin.

Archdeacons are senior members of clergy, second in rank to the bishop in their diocese.

Their responsibilities are to assist the bishop in her leadership; they are also responsible in large part for the care of church buildings and pastoral and practical support of clergy and their families.

They are also charged with overseeing any disciplinary actions taken by or against clergy in their archdeaconry.

St Davids Diocese is part of the Church in Wales and has three archdeaconries - Cardigan, Carmarthen and St Davids.