Dr David Hoyle installed as 39th Dean of Westminster

Saturday, 16th November 2019

Dr David Hoyle installed as 39th Dean of Westminster

The Very Reverend Dr David Hoyle was installed as the 39th Dean of the Collegiate Church of St Peter Westminster, better known as Westminster Abbey, at Evensong on Saturday 16th November 2019.

Dr Hoyle, formerly Dean of Bristol, now oversees the spiritual life of the Abbey and gives leadership to the Abbey community, which includes 300 staff and 500 volunteers. He succeeds the Very Reverend Dr John Hall who retired earlier this month.

During the centuries-old ceremony, part of it in Latin, the Grant and Mandamus from Her Majesty The Queen, to whom Dean and Chapter of the Abbey are ultimately responsible, was read out and the Dean responded by swearing and affirming a number of formal oaths.

Dr Hoyle was also installed as Dean of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath by the King of Arms of the Order, Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Dalton in the Chapel of the Order, Henry VII's Lady Chapel.

The sermon at the service was given by the new Dean.

The Reverend Anthony Ball, Canon in Residence, read Micah 6: 6-8 and the Duke of Buccleuch and Queensberry, High Steward, read Colossians 3: 12-17.

Prayers were said by the Right Reverend Tim Thornton, Bishop at Lambeth, and the Right Reverend and Right Honourable Dame Sarah Mullally DBE, Dean of Her Majesty’s Chapels Royal, and Bishop of London.

Evensong was sung by the Choir of Westminster Abbey conducted by James O’Donnell, Organist and Master of the Choristers. The organ was played by Peter Holder, Sub Organist, and before the service by Matthew Jorysz, Assistant Organist, and Alexander Hamilton, Organ Scholar.

After the service, the bells were rung by the Abbey Company of Ringers joined by the Ringing Master of Bristol Cathedral to a quarter peal of 1280 changes of Bristol Surprise Royal.

Order of Service for Evensong with the Installation of Dr David Michael Hoyle as Dean of the Collegiate Church of St Peter in Westminster (PDF, 418KB)

Transcript: Sermon given by The Very Reverend Dr David Hoyle, Dean of Westminster

David Hoyle, aged 61, studied history and then theology at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge. He trained for the ministry at Ripon College, Cuddesdon, and served his title as Curate of the Church of the Good Shepherd, Cambridge, from 1986 to 1988.

He was then appointed Chaplain (later Dean of Chapel) and Fellow of Magdalene College, Cambridge, where he also served as Director of Studies in Theology. In 1995 he moved to become Vicar of Christ Church, Southgate in London, before transferring to Gloucester in 2002 as Director of Ministry and Canon Residentiary of Gloucester Cathedral.

From 2010 until 2019, David Hoyle was Dean of Bristol. He chairs the College of Deans in the Church of England.

TAGS
Dean of Westminster | The Very Reverend Dr David Hoyle | Special Service
< Back to News archive
Back to top