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The Reverend

Nicholas Henshall
The Reverend; Nicholas Henshall
Dean of Chelmsford
	Henshall in 2018
Church	Church of England
Diocese	Diocese of Chelmsford
In office	2014 to 2023
Other post(s)	Vicar of New Groombridge (2023–present)
Orders
Ordination	1988 (deacon) ; 1989 (priest)
Personal details
Born	Nicholas James Henshall; 6 April 1962 (age 62)
Nationality	British
Denomination	Anglicanism

Nicholas James Henshall (born 6 April 1962) is a British Anglican priest and author, who served as Dean of Chelmsford from 2014 until 2023.

Early life and education

Henshall was born on 6 April 1962 in Mossley, England. He is the son of Michael Henshall, long-serving Bishop of Warrington.^[1] He was educated at Manchester Grammar School; it was an all-boys direct grant grammar school when he joined, later becoming an independent school.^[1] He spent a gap year at the British School at Athens, before studying Literae Humaniores (classics) at Wadham College, Oxford.^[2]^[3] He graduated from the University of Oxford with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree; as per tradition 1984, his BA was promoted to a Master of Arts (MA Oxon) degree in 1988.^[4] From 1985 to 1988, he studied theology and trained for ordination at Ripon College Cuddesdon.^[1]

Ordained ministry

Henshall was ordained in the Church of England as a deacon in 1988 and as a priest in 1989.^[5] After a curacy at, St Mary, Blyth he was Vicar of St Margaret, Scotswood from 1992 to 2002; both parishes are in the Diocese of Newcastle.^[4] He then became canon precentor of Derby Cathedral, serving in the role for six years.^[1] He returned to parish ministry and was vicar of Christ Church, Harrogate in the Diocese of Ripon and Leeds from 2008 to 2014.^[4] He also served as acting Archdeacon of Richmond from 2013 to 2014.^[6]

In November 2013, Henshall was announced as the next Dean of Chelmsford, head (primus inter pares – first among equals) of the chapter of Chelmsford Cathedral in the Diocese of Chelmsford.^[7] He was installed as dean at Chelmsford Cathedral during a service on 2 February 2014.^[7]^[8] In November 2022, he announced his intention to step down as dean the following year.^[9]^[10]

Henshall resigned the Deanery in February 2023 to return to parish ministry.^[9] On 23 February 2023, he was licensed as vicar of New Groombridge in the Diocese of Chichester.^[4]^[11]

Personal life

In 1991, Henshall married Christine. Together they have three children: two daughters and one son.^[1]

Publications

Chapter on marriage and priesthood in Priests in a People’s Church ed George Guiver (SPCK 2001)
2008 – 2018: a series of 35 articles on pastoral and practical theology in The Tablet
Focusses of Prophecy? Chapter in the book Holy Ground, ed Stephen Platten (2017 Sacristy Press)
Contributing editor of the second edition of “Dear Nicholas” by Michael Henshall (2019 Sacristy Press)

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e "Henshall, Very Rev. Nicholas James, (born 6 April 1962), Dean of Chelmsford, 2014–23; Parish Priest, St Thomas the Apostle, New Groombridge, since 2023". Who's Who 2024. Oxford University Press. 1 December 2023. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
^ "The Very Revd Nicholas James HENSHALL". The Church of England Year Book. Church House Publishing. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
^ "St Thomas The Apostle Groombridge: Our Vicar". A Church Near You. The Archbishops' Council. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "Nicholas James Henshall". Crockford's Clerical Directory (online ed.). Church House Publishing. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
^ Crockfords (London, Church House, 1995) ISBN 0-7151-8088-6
^ "Harrogate vicar to be caretaker Archdeacon of Richmond". The Diocese of West Yorkshire and the Dales. 2013. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
^ ^a ^b ""Gifted communicator and teacher" Nicholas Henshall appointed Dean of Chelmsford". Diocese of Chelmsford. 15 November 2013. Archived from the original on 15 December 2014. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
^ "New Dean of Chelmsford Cathedral installed". Chelmsford Weekly News. 4 February 2014. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
^ ^a ^b "Nicholas Henshall announces his departure as Dean of Chelmsford". Chelmsford Cathedral. Archived from the original on 20 November 2022. Retrieved 9 December 2022.
^ Henshall, Nicholas (20 November 2022). "Professional Nomad" (PDF). Chelmsford Cathedral. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
^ "Licensing of Fr Nicholas Henshall". St Thomas the Apostle, New Groombridge. Archived from the original on 10 March 2023. Retrieved 10 March 2023.

Church of England titles
Preceded by Janet Henderson as archdeacon	acting Archdeacon of Richmond 1 February 2013 – 2 February 2014	Succeeded by Paul Slater as acting archdeacon
Preceded by Peter Judd	Dean of Chelmsford 2 February 2014 – 23 February 2023	TBA