Mark Beach

Summary

Mark Howard Francis Beach (born 1962) is a priest of the Church of England. He was the Dean of Rochester Cathedral from 2012 to January 2015 [1] when he became the director of Blackfriars Settlement.[2]


Mark Beach

Dean of Rochester
ChurchChurch of England
DioceseRochester
In office2012–2015
PredecessorAdrian Newman
SuccessorPhilip Hesketh
Personal details
Born1962 (age 61–62)
DenominationAnglican
SpouseAnnabel
Children1 daughter

Early life and education edit

Beach grew up in Staffordshire.[3] He studied theology at the University of Kent for his BA degree in 1980[4] and completed an MA degree in mission and ministry studies at the University of Nottingham in 1995.[4] At King's College London he completed a University of London doctorate in ministry (DMin) in 2011.[4][1] Beach came out to his father as gay when he was 17 but was told "no son of mine is gay" so he went on to marry a woman.[5]

Ordained ministry edit

Beach trained for ordained ministry at St Stephen's House from 1985 to 1987.[4] His curacy was at Hucknall Torkard in the Diocese of Southwell and Nottingham. He then moved to the parish of Gedling, a few miles away in the same diocese, as rector from 1993 to 2001.[1] He was the bishop's chaplain in the Diocese of Wakefield from 2001 to 2003 before going to Rugby, Warwickshire, as a team rector.[1] He left Rugby in 2012 to take up the appointment of Dean of Rochester.[1][6] In January 2015 it was announced that he had resigned from this position because of issues regarding his marriage break-up.[7]

Post resignation edit

In late January the Bishop of Rochester announced that "Beach is taking on a new role outside ordained ministry, and has been appointed to the post of director of the Blackfriars Settlement."[8] In October 2018, he appeared on the Channel 4 programme First Dates Hotel.[5] He revealed on the show that his marriage broke down after he came out to his wife and daughter.[5]

Styles edit

  • Mr Mark Beach (until 1987)
  • The Revd Mark Beach (1987–2012; 2015–present)
  • The Very Revd Mark Beach (2012–2015)

Notes edit

  1. ^ a b c d e HM Government (2012).
  2. ^ "Mark Beach: From cathedral dean to Blackfriars Settlement director".
  3. ^ Dean & Chapter of Rochester (2013).
  4. ^ a b c d Beach (2012).
  5. ^ a b c Dixon (2018).
  6. ^ Clarke (2012).
  7. ^ Hunter (2015).
  8. ^ London SE1 website team (2015).

References edit

  • Beach, Mark (2012), Mark Beach, LinkedIn Corporation, archived from the original on 8 April 2013, retrieved 21 February 2013
  • Clarke, Sarah (6 February 2012), "Mark Beach is new Dean of Rochester", KentOnline, KM Group, retrieved 29 July 2015
  • Dean & Chapter of Rochester (2013), Who's Who at the Cathedral, archived from the original on 29 May 2013, retrieved 4 April 2013
  • Dixon, Rachel (10 October 2018), "Former Dean of Rochester Cathedral looks for love on Channel 4's First Dates Hotel", KentOnline, KM Group, retrieved 6 September 2019
  • HM Government (6 February 2012), Dean of Rochester, retrieved 21 February 2013
  • Hunter, Chris (25 January 2015), "Dean of Rochester Cathedral, Dr Mark Beach, has resigned", KentOnline, KM group, retrieved 29 July 2015
  • London SE1 website team (28 January 2015), "Mark Beach: from cathedral dean to Blackfriars Settlement director", londonse1 community website, Bankside Press, retrieved 29 July 2015{{citation}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)

External links edit

  • Official website of Rochester Cathedral
  • Kent Messenger's announcement