BRISTOL'S most famous parish church is about to lose its popular priest-in-charge.

The Reverend Dr Simon Taylor is taking his final service at St Mary Redcliffe on March 4 before he moves to Derby to take up a new position.

Dr Taylor, 40, has been at the church since 2006 and before that he was at Cotham Parish Church, which is linked with St Paul's in Clifton, for three years.

But now he has been offered the job as Clergy Ministerial Development Officer in Derby, which will involve him training clergy, and also the Canon Chancellor of the city's cathedral.

The father-of-two, who lives in Redcliffe, said: "I have been in Bristol now for 10 years, but my association goes back prior to that because my wife was working in Bristol.

"It was a big decision to make to leave – there is an awful lot about Bristol that I will miss, it is a fantastic city and I have really enjoyed living here. I have very much enjoyed being part of the city."

He starts his new job with Evensong on April 1, after a month off to move and get settled, and hopes the midday rule will apply so that he isn't subject to any April Fool's jokes.

St Mary Redcliffe will not start the process of looking for a replacement for Dr Taylor until he has left – which is standard procedure in the Church of England.

He is looking forward to the training role he is taking up.

"My background is in teaching," he said. "I was a university lecturer before being ordained, so I am looking forward to using that skill again."

But he said there was a lot he would miss about his current job.

"Over the last six years I have really enjoyed working with the staff here – my clergy colleagues and volunteers at the college," he said. "The Sunday school has become a thriving part of the community. I have also really enjoyed being involved with work in the schools of the parish – I have been a governor at Redcliffe Children's Centre and at St Mary Redcliffe and Temple School.

"I think I have learnt an enormous amount and I have had a good time as well."

Dr Taylor grew up in Newcastle-upon-Tyne where he went to church with his parents. After school and a year out, he attended Worcester College, Oxford, to read theology. He stayed there for seven years and came out with a doctorate.

Dr Taylor then spent two years working in Sheffield as a university lecturer before starting his training for ordination at St Michael's College in Llandaff, Cardiff.

As part of his training he spent five months in Rome training alongside Roman Catholic seminarians there.

He was ordained in Bristol Cathedral in 2002, becoming curate of both Cotham Parish Church and St Paul's, Clifton.