Former Queen’s School pupil, the Very Rev Vivienne Faull, is appointed Dean of York

THE next Dean of York is a former pupil of Chester’s Queen’s School.

The Very Reverend Vivienne Faull, 57, currently Dean of Leicester, is likely to take up her new position later this year.

Rev Faull left The Queen’s School in 1973 to go to Saint Hilda’s College, Oxford. She returned to the independent girls school last year to launch The Commemoration Bursary Appeal, to help offer girls a Queen's education, regardless of their financial circumstances.

Rev Faull said: “I am honoured and delighted to have been nominated by Her Majesty The Queen to be the next Dean of York and am excited about moving back north.

“It is of course daunting to move from one of the smallest to one of the largest cathedrals, but I know that there are many people who care deeply for York Minster, its mission and ministry, and I look forward to leading a large team on its continued development.”

The Bishop of Leicester, the Rt Rev Tim Stevens, said: “I am delighted that Viv Faull has been appointed as the next Dean of York. Viv was the first woman to be appointed in charge of an English cathedral and she has ensured that she has developed the role to the fullest extent possible. I am glad her vision and leadership qualities will continue to be used in Cathedral ministry, and I am sure those she serves in York will value her as much as we have.”

Rev Faull trained for ministry at Saint John’s College, Nottingham and Nottingham University. She served as a Deaconess at Saint Matthew and Saint James, Mossley Hill in the Diocese of Liverpool from 1982 to 1985, moving to become chaplain, later fellow, at Clare College, Cambridge. She was made Deacon in the Diocese of Ely in 1987.

She began cathedral ministry in 1990 as Chaplain at Gloucester Cathedral where she married Michael, a physician, and was ordained priest in 1994.

In 1994 she moved to become Canon Pastor, and later Vice Provost, at Coventry Cathedral.

In 2000 she was appointed Provost of Leicester becoming Dean of Leicester in 2002.

In 2009 she was elected chairman of the Association of English Cathedrals. .