Who we are

The Chancellor is Annabel Graham Paul. She became Chancellor in July 2026 and was previously Deputy Chancellor in the Diocese of Oxford. Annabel was called to the Bar in 2008 and throughout her career she has practised from Francis Taylor Building, specialising in town and country planning, commons and greens, and ecclesiastical law. 

Annabel is a member of the Welsh Government's A Panel of counsel and she frequently appears in the High Court and the Court of Appeal as well as planning inquiries of national significance. She also sits as a village green inspector. 

Annabel lives in Wales and is a Town Councillor and former Mayor of Llandovery. She studied Music at the University of Oxford and worked for two classical music ensembles before becoming a barrister. 

As Hereford Diocesan Registrar, Jeremy acts as  legal adviser to the Bishop of Hereford as well as providing a range of legal advice to the Diocese and to its clergy and parishes.

Jeremy attended Hereford Cathedral School and then read jurisprudence at Magdalen College, Oxford, where was subsequently a Visiting Lecturer in law. He was for many years been a director in the local firm of Gabbs Solicitors, and he is now a consultant with the company.

He has been involved in a number of regional charities over the years, including the Three Choirs Festival of which he was Festival Chair on three occasions. Subsequently, he was appointed Chair of the Three Choirs Festival Society between 2015-2020. 

He served as Under Sheriff for Herefordshire from 2011 -23.

Jeremy Wilding sits on the committee of the Ecclesiastical Law Association. In addition, he is a member of the Ecclesiastical Law Society and of the Selden Society (a society devoted exclusively to the study and promotion of English legal history). 

In 2016 he was awarded an MBE by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at a ceremony in Windsor Castle.

E: jwilding@gabbs.biz | T: 01432 353 481

Rachael is an Director with Gabbs Solicitors based at the Leominster office specialising in Agricultural and Residential Property.

Rachael qualified as a solicitor in 1996 after completing her degree at Manchester Metropolitan University and Legal Practice Course at the University of Wolverhampton. Rachael trained in the West Midlands and after qualifying worked in Herefordshire for a short time before joining a Shropshire firm where she was a partner for over 15 years.  Rachael obtained a Postgraduate Certificate in Legal Practice Management with Merit in 2015 from the Manchester Metropolitan University.

Married to a South Shropshire farmer, Rachael is well versed in dealing with the Rural Payments Agency as she helps out on the farm at home. In the little spare time she has, Rachael also enjoys gardening, cooking for friends and family on her AGA, reading and walking her rescue Westie/ Patterdale cross terrier Trixie.

E: rhughes@gabbs.biz | T: 01568 616 333

Melanie is one of the Directors at Gabbs Solicitors and has over many years’ experience in property work.

She has a degree in history from the University of Lancaster and completed her legal training at the College of Law in London.  Her Articles were carried out in a small firm in Lincoln’s Inn Fields in London and she qualified as a solicitor in 1994.  She worked in the Commercial Property department of Farrer & Co until she moved to Herefordshire in 2004.

E: mtree@gabbs.biz | T: 01432 353 481