Katharine Wootton For the very first time in its medieval history, York Minster will welcome a female Dean it has been announced this morning. The news broke from 10 Downing Street today that Her Majesty the Queen has approved the nomination of Vivienne Faull as the successor to the Very Reverend Keith Jones who retired in April.
The appointment of the Very Reverend Vivienne Faull marks a key changing point in the city’s history having never previously accepted a woman into such a prominent role of responsibility for overseeing the running of the Minster. No stranger to making waves in the narrative of religious history, in 2000, Vivienne Faull was appointed as the Provost of Leicester, becoming the very first woman to lead a Church of England cathedral. Two years later Faull was made Dean of Leicester, adding another accolade to her name as the first female dean in the Church of England. There are now still only three female deans running cathedrals in the country.
Educated at Saint Hilda’s College Oxford and trained for ministry by Saint John’s College, Nottingham, Dean Faull said of her appointment: “I am honoured and delighted to have been nominated by Her Majesty The Queen to be the next Dean of York and 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.”
