Vivienne Faull

The Very Reverend Vivienne Faull
Dean of York
Church	York Minster
Diocese	Diocese of York
In office	2012–present
Predecessor	Keith Jones
Other posts	Dean of Leicester (2002–2012) Provost of Leicester (2000–2002)
Orders
Ordination	1987 (deacon) 1994 (priest)
Personal details
Born	20 May 1955
Nationality	British
Denomination	Anglican
Alma mater	St Hilda's College, Oxford

Vivienne Frances Faull (born 20 May 1955)^[1] is a British Anglican priest. Since 2012, she has served as Dean of York. 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 woman appointed a bishop in the Church of England.^[2]

Early life

Faull was educated at The Queen's School, Chester^[1] She studied at St Hilda's College, Oxford and graduated in 1977 with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree; it was promoted to a Master of Arts (MA Oxon) in 1982.^[3] 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.^[4]

Ordained Ministry

Faull was licensed as a deaconess in the Church of England in 1982, and ordained as a deacon in 1987 and as a priest in 1994.^[3] She served first at the Church of St Matthew and St James, Mossley Hill, Liverpool, and then as Chaplain at Clare College, Cambridge. From 1990 to 1994, she was on the staff at Gloucester Cathedral.^[5] In 1994 she became Canon Pastor at Coventry Cathedral, later becoming Vice Provost, before moving to Leicester in 2000.^[6]

On 13 May 2000,^[7] she was installed as Provost of Leicester Cathedral^[8] – 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^[9] and she was duly installed at York Minster on 1 December.^[10]

In 2015 Faull was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Chester, granting her the title of Doctor of Letters.

Controversies

In 2013 Faull was the target of hate mail during an unsuccessful campaign to have the remains of Richard III interred in York Minster.^[11] Protests against Faull's involvement in the decision to inter the remains in Leicester Cathedral continued, ultimately resulting in the prosecution of one protester,^[12] and an online petition calling for the removal of the dean.^[13][14]

In October 2016 Faull was instrumental in the sacking of all the York Minster bellringers with no notice,^[15][16][17] and the subsequent suspension of a carillonneur. The locks were changed at the Minster and the ringers unable to lower the bells for safety. This was called 'uncharitable' and 'unChristian' in the press.^[18][19]

References

1. Who's Who 2012 – FAULL, Vivienne Frances
2. "Vivienne Faull: a pioneer tipped to be the first female bishop", The Guardian, 16 Feb 2014. Accessed 6 November 2014
3. "Vivienne Frances Faull". Crockford's Clerical Directory (online ed.). Church House Publishing. Retrieved 30 November 2015. (subscription required)
4. "'I'm not sure I see myself in a mitre'", The Telegraph, 28 August 2001. Accessed 20 May 2014
5. Debrett's People of Today London,2008 Debrett's, ISBN 978-1-870520-95-9
6. Diocese of York website 18 October 2016
7. Leicester City Council – Cllr Phil Swift
8. bnet UK
9. BBC News – Faull appointed Dean of York
10. York Minster – Installation of the new Dean of York
11. "Dean of York goes to the police over Richard III hate mail". The Telegraph. 12 March 2013. Retrieved 15 October 2016.
12. "Richard III fan prosecuted for York Minster rant". The Telegraph. 16 June 2015. Retrieved 15 October 2016.
13. "You think of me as the Enemy in your midst". Hathaways of Haworth. Retrieved 15 October 2016.
14. "Petition calling for dean to step down described as malicious". The Northern Echo. 1 April 2015. Retrieved 15 October 2016.
15. "Ding dong at the belfry as York Minster axes all its 30 bellringers". The Telegraph. 13 October 2016. Retrieved 15 October 2016.
16. "For whom the bell tolls: York Minster to fall silent as ringers sacked". The Guardian. 13 October 2016. Retrieved 15 October 2016.
17. "I was a bellringer at York Minster. We want to know why we were sacked". The Guardian. 14 October 2016. Retrieved 15 October 2016.
18. "MINSTER BELLS: Outspoken critic of bell ringing axing suspended from playing Carillon bells UPDATED 12.40pm". York Press. Retrieved 2016-10-14.
19. "York Minster to fall silent for first time since 1361 after bell ringers axed". The Mirror. 13 October 2016.