Helen Cunliffe


Helen Margaret Cunliffe is a British Anglican priest. She was Archdeacon of St Albans in the Church of England from 2003 until 2007.

Early life and education

Cunliffe was born in Derbyshire, educated at Homelands School, Derby and St Hilda's College, Oxford and trained for ordained ministry at Westcott House, Cambridge.

Ordained ministry

Cunliffe was ordained deaconess in 1983, deacon in 1987 and priest in 1994. She worked at the Church of St Mary and All Saints, Chesterfield and the University Church of St Mary the Virgin, Oxford before becoming Chaplain of Nuffield College, Oxford. She was deacon-in-charge of St Paul's Church, Clapham from 1989 and became its first woman vicar in 1994; Cunliffe was installed as Residentiary Canon at Southwark Cathedral in 1996 until 2002.

Personal life

Her husband, Christopher Cunliffe, has been Archdeacon of Derby since 2006.