John Harverd Davies (born 29 November 1957) is a British

Anglican Anglicanism, also known as Episcopalianism in some countries, is a Western Christianity, Western Christian tradition which developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the ...

priest and theologian. From 2016 to 2023, he was the

Dean of Wells The Dean of Wells is the head of the Chapter of Wells Cathedral in the Mendip district of Somerset, England. The dean's residence is The Dean's Lodging, 25 The Liberty, Wells. List of deans High Medieval *1140–1164: Ivo *1164–1189: ...

, the priest first-among-equals at

Wells Cathedral Wells Cathedral, formally the , is a Church of England cathedral in Wells, Somerset, England. It is the seat of the bishop of Bath and Wells and the mother church of the diocese of Bath and Wells. There are daily Church of England services in ...

and the most senior priest in the

Diocese of Bath and Wells The Diocese of Bath and Wells is a diocese in the Church of England Province of Canterbury in England. The diocese covers the county of Somerset and a small area of Dorset. The Episcopal seat of the Bishop of Bath and Wells is located in the ...

. He had previously served as

Dean of Derby The Dean of Derby is the head (''primus inter pares'' – first among equals) and chair of the chapter of canons, the ruling body of Derby Cathedral. The dean and chapter are based at the ''Cathedral Church of All Saints'' in Derby. Before 2000 th ...

from 2010 to 2016.

Early life and education

Davies was born on 29 November 1957 in

Bolton Bolton ( , locally ) is a town in Greater Manchester in England. In the foothills of the West Pennine Moors, Bolton is between Manchester, Blackburn, Wigan, Bury, Greater Manchester, Bury and Salford. It is surrounded by several towns and vill ...

, Lancashire, England. He was educated at Brentwood School, a

private school A private school or independent school is a school not administered or funded by the government, unlike a State school, public school. Private schools are schools that are not dependent upon national or local government to finance their fina ...

in Brentwood, Essex. He studied at

Keble College, Oxford Keble College () is one of the Colleges of the University of Oxford, constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Its main buildings are on Parks Road, opposite the Oxford University Museum of Natural History, University Museum a ...

, and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in 1980; as per tradition, his BA was promoted to a

Master of Arts A Master of Arts ( or ''Artium Magister''; abbreviated MA or AM) is the holder of a master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is usually contrasted with that of Master of Science. Those admitted to the degree have ...

(MA Oxon) degree in 1984. He then undertook

postgraduate studies Postgraduate education, graduate education, or graduate school consists of academic or professional degrees, certificates, diplomas, or other qualifications usually pursued by post-secondary students who have earned an undergraduate (bachelor' ...

Corpus Christi College, Cambridge Corpus Christi College (full name: "The College of Corpus Christi and the Blessed Virgin Mary", often shortened to "Corpus") is a Colleges of the University of Cambridge, constituent college of the University of Cambridge. From the late 14th c ...

, and graduated with

Master of Philosophy A Master of Philosophy (MPhil or PhM; Latin ' or ') is a postgraduate degree. The name of the degree is most often abbreviated MPhil (or, at times, as PhM in other countries). MPhil are awarded to postgraduate students after completing at leas ...

(MPhil) degree in 1982. In 1982, he entered

Westcott House, Cambridge Westcott House is an Anglican theological college based on Jesus Lane in the centre of the University of Cambridge, university city of Cambridge in the United Kingdom.Westcott House website, Home pag Retrieved on August 27, 2006. Its main activit ...

, an

theological college A seminary, school of theology, theological college, or divinity school is an educational institution for educating students (sometimes called seminarians) in scripture and Christian theology, theology, generally to prepare them for ordinatio ...

in the Liberal Catholic

tradition A tradition is a system of beliefs or behaviors (folk custom) passed down within a group of people or society with symbolic meaning or special significance with origins in the past. A component of cultural expressions and folklore, common e ...

, to train for two years in preparation for ordination. He later undertook

postgraduate research Postgraduate research represents a formal area of study that is recognized by a university or institute of higher learning. The notion of "postgraduate" refers to studies following a undergraduate degree. Postgraduate research either occurs within ...

and completed a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree at

Lancaster University Lancaster University (officially The University of Lancaster) is a collegiate public university, public research university in Lancaster, Lancashire, England. The university was established in 1964 by royal charter, as one of several new univer ...

. His thesis was titled "Divine

kenosis In Christian theology, ''kenosis'' () is the "self-emptying" of Jesus. The word () is used in the Epistle to the Philippians: " made himself nothing" ( NIV), or " eemptied himself" ( NRSV) (Philippians 2:7), using the verb form (), meaning "t ...

and the power of the Church".

Ordained ministry

Davies was

ordained Ordination is the process by which individuals are Consecration in Christianity, consecrated, that is, set apart and elevated from the laity class to the clergy, who are thus then authorized (usually by the religious denomination, denominationa ...

in the

Church of England The Church of England (C of E) is the State religion#State churches, established List of Christian denominations, Christian church in England and the Crown Dependencies. It is the mother church of the Anglicanism, Anglican Christian tradition, ...

as a

deacon A deacon is a member of the diaconate, an office in Christian churches that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions. Major Christian denominations, such as the Cathol ...

in 1984 and as a

priest A priest is a religious leader authorized to perform the sacred rituals of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and one or more deity, deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in parti ...

in 1985. From 1984 to 1987, he served his

curacy A curate () is a person who is invested with the ''care'' or ''cure'' () of souls of a parish. In this sense, ''curate'' means a parish priest; but in English-speaking countries the term ''curate'' is commonly used to describe clergy who are ass ...

at Church of Our Lady and Saint Nicholas, Liverpool in the

Diocese of Liverpool The diocese of Liverpool is a diocese of the Church of England in North West England. The diocese covers Merseyside north of the River Mersey, south-west Lancashire, western Greater Manchester, and part of northern Cheshire. Liverpool Cathedral ...

. Then, between 1987 and 1990, he was an assistant curate at St John the Baptist Church, Peterborough, in the Diocese of Peterborough. He was also a

Minor Canon A minor canon is a member of staff on the establishment of a cathedral or a collegiate church. In at least one foundation the post may be known as "priest-vicar". Minor canons are clergy Clergy are formal leaders within established religi ...

Peterborough Cathedral Peterborough Cathedral, properly the Cathedral Church of St Peter, St Paul and St Andrew, and formerly known as Peterborough Abbey or St Peter's Abbey, is a cathedral in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, in the United Kingdom. The seat of the Church ...

from 1988 to 1990. He then returned to the diocese of Liverpool, where he was

Vicar A vicar (; Latin: '' vicarius'') is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior (compare "vicarious" in the sense of "at second hand"). Linguistically, ''vicar'' is cognate with the English p ...

of St Margaret,

Anfield Anfield is a Association football, football stadium in the area of Anfield (suburb), Anfield, Liverpool, England, which has been the home of Liverpool F.C. since its formation in 1892. The stadium has a seating capacity of 61,276, making it the ...

from 1990 to 1994. In 1994, Davies returned to

, where he had studied for his undergraduate degree, as its chaplain and Director of Studies in theology. As such, he was also elected a

Fellow A fellow is a title and form of address for distinguished, learned, or skilled individuals in academia, medicine, research, and industry. The exact meaning of the term differs in each field. In learned society, learned or professional society, p ...

of the College. Then, from 1999 to 2010, he was Vicar of St Michael with St Mary's Church,

Melbourne, Derbyshire Melbourne () is a market town and civil parish in South Derbyshire, England. It was home to Thomas Cook, founder of Thomas Cook & Son, the eponymous travel agency, and has a street named after him. It is south of Derby and from the River Trent ...

in the

Diocese of Derby The Diocese of Derby is a Church of England diocese in the Province of Canterbury, roughly covering the same area as the County of Derbyshire. Its diocesan bishop is the Bishop of Derby whose seat (cathedra) is at Derby Cathedral. The dioces ...

. He was also Diocesan Director of Ordinands from 2000 to 2009, and

Priest in Charge A priest in charge or priest-in-charge (previously also curate-in-charge) in the Church of England is a priest in charge of a parish who is not its incumbent; they will normally work on a short-term contract and have less freedom to act within the ...

of the

Benefice A benefice () or living is a reward received in exchange for services rendered and as a retainer for future services. The Roman Empire used the Latin term as a benefit to an individual from the Empire for services rendered. Its use was adopted by ...

Ticknall Ticknall is a small village and civil parish in South Derbyshire, England. The population of the civil parish (including Calke) at the 2011 Census was 642. Situated on the A514 road, close to Melbourne, it has three pubs, several small business ...

(consisting of

St George's Church, Ticknall St George's Church, Ticknall is a Grade II listed parish church in the Church of England in Ticknall, Derbyshire. History The church was built in 1842 by the architect Henry Isaac Stevens to replace the old church dedicated to St Thomas Becke ...

, St James' Church, Smisby, and

St Michael's Church, Stanton by Bridge St Michael's Church, Stanton by Bridge is a Grade I listed parish church in the Church of England in Stanton by Bridge, Derbyshire. History The church is medieval with elements from the 11th to the 13th century. It was rebuilt around 1682 by th ...

) from 2007 to 2010. In 2010, he was made an

honorary canon Canon () is a Christian title usually used to refer to a member of certain bodies in subject to an ecclesiastical rule. Originally, a canon was a cleric living with others in a clergy house or, later, in one of the houses within the precinct of ...

Derby Cathedral The Cathedral Church of All Saints, Derby, better known as Derby Cathedral, is a cathedral church in the city of Derby, England. In 1927, it was promoted from parish church status to that of a cathedral, creating a seat for the Bishop of ...

As dean

On 9 October 2010, Davies was instituted

; as such, he was first-among-equals in the chapter of canons of Derby Cathedral and the most senior priest in the Diocese of Derby. In 2012, Davies undertook a sponsored abseil from the tower of Derby Cathedral to raise funds, both for the Cathedral and for the Padley Centre, a local charity providing help and support to the homeless and other socially disadvantaged people. On 23 August 2016, it was announced that Davies would be the next

in the

. He presided at his last service at Derby Cathedral on 1 November 2016. On 20 November 2016, he was installed as Dean during a service at

. His last service at the cathedral was the Feast of Candlemas on 2 February 2023, and he retired as dean on 6 January.

Honours

On 1 June 2011, Davies was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant (DL) to the

Lord Lieutenant of Derbyshire This is a list of people who have served as Lord Lieutenant of Derbyshire. Since 1689, all the Lord Lieutenants have also been Custos Rotulorum of Derbyshire. * Francis Hastings, 2nd Earl of Huntingdon * George Talbot, 6th Earl of Shrewsbury 3 ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Davies, John 1957 births Living people Clergy from Bolton People educated at Brentwood School, Essex Alumni of Keble College, Oxford Alumni of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge Alumni of Westcott House, Cambridge Fellows of Keble College, Oxford Provosts and Deans of Derby Deputy lieutenants of Derbyshire