Vivienne Faull

Vivienne Frances Faull (born 20 May 1955) 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.

Faull was educated at The Queen's School, Chester 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. 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.

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. 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. In 1994 she became Canon Pastor at Coventry Cathedral, later becoming Vice Provost, before moving to Leicester in 2000.

On 13 May 2000, she was installed as Provost of Leicester Cathedral – 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 and she was duly installed at York Minster on 1 December.

Views

Faull's views have been described as "centrist to liberal" and as "open evangelical".. She supports the blessing of same-sex partnerships.

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

In October 2016 Faull was instrumental in the sacking of all the York Minster bellringers with no notice, 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.

In 2014, Faull was awarded an honorary Doctor of Philosophy (DPhil) degree by the University of Gloucestershire "for her outstanding contribution to the church and her work for the equality of women". On 20 March 2015, she was awarded an honorary Doctor of Letters (DLitt) degree by the University of Chester "in recognition of her outstanding contribution to Ministry in this country, in particular in recognition of her roles as Dean of Leicester and Dean of York". On 17 July 2015, she was awarded an honorary degree by the University of York.