Andrew Tremlett


Andrew Tremlett is a British Church of England priest. Since July 2016, he has served as Dean of Durham, and is therefore the head of the Chapter of Durham Cathedral and the most senior priest in the Diocese of Durham. Previously, he was a Canon Residentiary of Westminster Abbey, Rector of St Margaret's Church, Westminster, Archdeacon of Westminster, and Sub-Dean of Westminster Abbey. He was also a Canon Residentiary at Bristol Cathedral.

Early life and education

Tremlett was born on 9 March 1964. His father is Tony Tremlett, who is a retired Church of England priest and former Archdeacon. From 1975 to 1982, he was educated at Plymouth College, an independent school in Plymouth, Devon. He then matriculated into Pembroke College, Cambridge to study classics. He graduated from the University of Cambridge with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1986; as per tradition, his BA was promoted to a Cambridge Master of Arts degree in 1990.
In 1986, Tremlett began training for ordination at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford, an Anglican theological college in the evangelical tradition. During this time, he also studied theology at The Queen's College, Oxford, and graduated from the University of Oxford with a BA degree in 1988; as per tradition, his BA was promoted to an MA in 1995. He was awarded the Pusey and Ellerton Senior Prize which is awarded to "candidates whose performance in Biblical Hebrew the examiners judge to be of sufficient merit".
During his career as an ordained minister, Tremlett has continued to study. In 1996, he graduated from the University of Exeter with a Master of Philosophy degree. He studied patristics, and his thesis was titled Metaphors of Salvation in the Soteriology of Origen of Alexandria. In 2003, he became a qualified teacher having completed a Postgraduate Certificate in Education at the University of Liverpool.

Ordained ministry

Tremlett was ordained in the Church of England as a deacon in 1989 and as a priest in 1990. From 1989 to 1992, he served his curacy in the Parish of St Matthias, St Mark and Holy Trinity, Torquay, Diocese of Exeter. From 1992 to 1995, he was based in the Diocese of Europe. He served as Chaplain to The Mission to Seafarers, and as Assistant Chaplain of St Mary's Anglican and Episcopal Church in Rotterdam, Netherlands between 1992 and 1994. He was then Chaplain of St Mary's between 1994 and 1995.
In 1995, Tremlett returned to England. From 1995 to 1998, he was Team Vicar of the Parish of Holy Trinity with St Columba, Fareham, in the Diocese of Portsmouth. From 1998 to 2003, he served as Chaplain to Kenneth Stevenson, the Bishop of Portsmouth. During this period, he also worked with the Doctrine Commission of the Church of England as a parliamentary research assistant and secretary. He then moved to the Diocese of Chichester, where he was Vicar of St Mary's Church, Goring-by-Sea, Worthing between 2003 and 2008.
In 2008, Tremlett moved to the Diocese of Bristol. He had been appointed a Canon Residentiary of Bristol Cathedral and the Keeper of the Fabric; as such, he was responsible for the Cathedral's development plan. From June 2009 to May 2010, he served as the acting Dean of Bristol during the interregnum.
In July 2010, it was announced that Tremlett was to be made a Canon of Westminster and Rector of St Margaret's Church, Westminster. There was controversy surrounding the appointment. The Rector of St Margaret's had also been the Chaplain to the Speaker of the House of Commons for the previous 40 years. However, John Bercow blocked the appointment of Tremlett having described him as "another white middle aged man", and instead appointed Rose Hudson-Wilkin as chaplain. In October 2010, he was installed as a canon at Westminster Abbey. In June 2014, he was additionally appointed the Archdeacon of Westminster and the Sub-Dean of Westminster Abbey.
On 17 December 2015, Tremlett was announced as the next Dean of Durham. Though the previous Dean, Michael Sadgrove, retired on 31 December 2015, Tremlett was to be installed as dean in the summer of 2016. On 17 July 2016, he was installed as dean during a service at Durham Cathedral.

Personal life

Tremlett is married to Ali, a teacher. Together they have three children, one daughter and two sons.