The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 7 letter word DEANERY
I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
D
E
A
N
E
R
Y
More clues leading to the result DEANERY
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The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does DEANERY mean?
DEANERY noun- The position held by a dean.
- The house in which a dean lives.
- The group of parishes for which a rural dean has responsibility.