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Bishop Viv
The Rt Revd Vivienne Faull, by kind permission of the King, will retire as Bishop of Bristol on 1 September 2025. The Archbishop of York granted Bishop Viv permission to remain in office after her 70th birthday in May, to ordain new Deacons and Priests in the summer.
Bishop Viv was enthroned as the 56th Bishop of Bristol at Bristol Cathedral on 20 October 2018, having previously served as the Dean of York. As Bishop of Bristol, she has provided episcopal guidance to parishes across Bristol, Swindon, South Gloucestershire, and North Wiltshire. In addition, she has been a member of the House of Lords and, since 2021, one of the lead bishops for church and cathedral buildings and a Church Commissioner.
Bishop Viv said: “After 42 years in full-time ministry as Deaconess, Deacon, Priest and Bishop, the time has come for a rest. I have revelled in each of the places and communities to which God has called me and have been enriched by them all.
“My seven years in Bristol, where my mother — a great campaigner for the ordination of women — was born, baptised and confirmed, has been a beautiful coda, and I will leave this generous, creative, brave and open diocese with deep gratitude for all that, in the power of the Holy Spirit, we have learnt and transformed together.
“May Christ bless and keep us now and in our pilgrimages ahead.”
There will be an opportunity to say farewell to Bishop Viv at a special service held at Bristol Cathedral at 3.00pm on Saturday, 30 August 2025, to which all are welcome.
Following Bishop Viv’s announcement, the process of identifying the next Bishop of Bristol will begin, in consultation with parishes and other groups from across the diocese.
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Bishop Viv honoured in final General Synod as Archbishop of York
pays tribute
At the July 2025 sessions of the General Synod in York, the Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, delivered a heartfelt farewell to Bishop of Bristol, the Rt Revd Vivienne Faull, marking her final appearance at General Synod before retirement in September.
In a speech filled with deep appreciation, Archbishop Cottrell praised Bishop Viv’s decades of service to the Church, highlighting her pioneering leadership and unwavering dedication. He reflected on her historic role as the first female Cathedral Provost, and subsequently Dean, in the Church of England, amongst "so many" other firsts as one of the pioneering female priests of her generation.
A sincere tribute
The Archbishop of York said: "With Viv come so many “firsts”, as one of the great pioneering female priests and now bishops of her generation. When Viv began her studies at Saint John's College, she became the first woman to be paid by the Church of England to do so.
"Viv was also the first female chaplain of an Oxbridge college. In 2000 Viv was the first and only female Cathedral Provost and following the Cathedrals Measure 1999 became the first female Dean in the Church of England. Since that appointment, Viv has faithfully ministered as Dean of York and among the first generation of female bishops and the first female Bishop of Bristol, since 2018.
"Viv, words fail us in paying tribute to the huge blessings and pioneering spirit and all that you have brought to the Church of England. We thank you for your work in Bristol, up and down the country, in this chamber and in the House of Lords. We thank God for your ministry and we wish you and Michael all the very best for the future."
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Please remember …
Our churchyard is a lovely, peaceful place, despite its proximity to the road.
Many people come to tend the graves of those they have loved and lost, and spend a few moments remembering them.
Sadly, recent visitors have been distressed to find the area being inappropriately used by someone exercising a dog.
We welcome everyone to come and visit the churchyard, but please remember that for many it is the last resting place of someone they loved, and they regard it as a sacred space.
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