Vivienne Faull

Vivienne Frances Faull (born 20 May 1955)^[1] is a British Anglican priest. She was the only female cathedral provost in Church of England history. She was thought by many to be a leading candidate for the first female bishop appointed by the Church of England.^[2]

Early life

Faull was educated at The Queen's School, Chester, and St Hilda's College, Oxford.^[1] When she began studying theology at St John's College, Nottingham, she became the first woman to be paid by the Church of England to do so.^[3]

Religious life

Licensed as a deaconess in 1982, and ordained deacon in 1987 and priest in 1994,^[4] she served first at St Matthew and St James, Mossley Hill, and then as Chaplain at Clare College, Cambridge. From 1990 to 2000, she was on the staff at Gloucester Cathedral^[5] before moving to Leicester.

On 13 May 2000,^[6] she was installed as Provost of Leicester Cathedral^[7] – the first (and, due to the Cathedrals Measure 1999 redesignating all cathedral provosts as deans, only) female cathedral provost in Church of England history. In 2002, when her job title (but not the essential nature of the role) changed, she became the Dean of Leicester – and thus, with that change of title, the first female dean in the Church of England.

It was announced on 5 July 2012 that Faull was to become Dean of York in late 2012^[8] and she was duly installed at York Minster on 1 December.^[9]

References