Published on: 24/11/2025
Revd Eleanor Robertshaw, Team Rector of Great Snaith, has been announced as the next Archdeacon of Stow and Lindsey in the Diocese of Lincoln.
Eleanor, who was born in Sheffield and grew up in Rotherham, has been ordained for over a decade and served her curacy in Doncaster, before leading varied contexts and worship styles in Great Snaith as Team Rector. She was installed as an Honorary Canon of Sheffield Cathedral in 2022.
Eleanor’s final service here will be on Sunday 4 January at 10.45am in Snaith Priory. She will begin her role as Archdeacon of Stow and Lindsey with a service of collation taking place on Monday January 26, 2026 at Gainsborough All Saints Church from 7pm.
We caught up with Eleanor following the news:
How did this new role first come about?
In 2020, Bishop Pete nominated me to apply for the ‘Leading Women’ leadership course and along with a previous Windsor leadership course this got me reflecting on Senior Leadership in the church and if it was something God was calling me to.
Then the floods in Snaith and East Cowick happened followed by Covid. During those times I took on a more senior leadership role, being a director of the local ‘Covid help group’ and during the floods being a point of contact for all the different agencies who were in the area at the time.
I was loving ministry and did not want to leave, so I put it on the back burner.
During my sabbatical this year, I had the opportunity to explore senior leadership while shadowing the senior team meetings over three months in the Diocese of Manchester, so I came back from sabbatical believing that God was now calling me to explore the role of Archdeacon.
The Archdeaconry of Stow and Lindsey is both urban (Scunthorpe, Grimsby, Immingham etc) but also has a huge amount of farming areas which are very similar to this parish, along with seaside towns such as Skegness and Mablethorpe. I was excited by the Diocese of Lincoln vision to see what God is doing and join in. I also like the challenge of lots of different contexts to be involved in.
Tell us about what the job will entail
An Archdeacon role is very diverse, but a retired Bishop, who had previously been an Archdeacon summed it up really well: An Archdeacon is a bit like an interpreter between the parishes and the senior staff. So, helping to shape the vision and strategy of the diocese with the senior team, but also hearing what the parishes are saying and feeding that into the senior staff.
As you know, I love working with a wide range of people so I am most looking forward to building relationships with a wide variety of clergy and lay people and walking with them in good times and less good times. People always think Archdeacons just deal with blocked drains and collapsing walls and of course there is an aspect of that, but it’s so much more!
How do you feel about leaving the Diocese of Sheffield?
I was born in Sheffield and grew up in Rotherham so South Yorkshire will always be where I am proud to be from. But my ordained ministry has been in North East Doncaster and the East Riding so I have an unusual experience of Sheffield Diocese, that has prepared me well for this role.
I will be so sad to leave as Sheffield is a smallish Diocese so it is easy to get to know people and make friends. I will very much miss my colleagues across the Diocese. I also feeling like I have been invested in here which is very important to me.
The worse bit will be leaving the parish of Great Snaith. It will break my heart as I love the places I serve.
What are some of your favourite memories here?
There are so many. Being in the Diocese for 15 years means I have taken part in many things, I recall the terrifying time I Deaconed at the cathedral for The Archbishop of York during the centenary celebration service. I was very nervous and sat down at the wrong point and felt very silly! However, later in that service I remember being brought to tears as I administered the chalice to so many who had supported me on my vocation journey.
I will also always remember during the floods when Snaith Priory was used as a flood refuge and a lady came in with a bag of donations and said, ‘my house has flooded and I have lost everything, but the kindness of people here means I have been out to buy some things to donate to others too’. At that moment I could sense the presence of Jesus working in an awful situation.
Most of all I will remember all the time I have been able to laugh with friends and colleagues, especially when the more bizarre things happen.
What’s your message to the next Team Rector of Great Snaith?
It’s the best parish in the world and all you need to do is go and love the people, that love will come back in spades.
We wish Eleanor all the very best in her new role, and will miss her here in the Diocese of Sheffield!