YORK Minster has welcomed its first ever female dean.

The Very Reverend Vivienne Faull officially became the new Dean of York on Saturday (December 1).

Dean Faull, 57, was the first woman to lead a Church of England Cathedral when she was appointed Provost of Leicester in 2000 and made Dean of Leicester in 2002.

Until her move to York, she had been a member of the General Synod, representing Deans of cathedrals and was on the panel of the chairs of synod.

She spent the last 12 years working on legislation to pave the way for women bishops and said she was “disappointed” at last month’s decision to bar women from becoming bishops.

Ahead of the weekend’s ceremony to install her as the Dean of York, she said she hoped her appointment would show there were opportunities for women within the church and that female leadership in the church was nothing to be afraid of.

The ceremony was attended by leading figures from York and the church, as well as her school friends and former colleagues.

Dean Faull has taken over from the Very Reverend Keith Jones, who retired in April this year.