List of vice-chancellors and wardens of Durham University


The vice-chancellor and warden is the chief executive officer of Durham University. The vice-chancellor also holds the position of "Warden of the Durham Colleges" and is appointed by Council. Reporting to the vice-chancellor and warden are the deputy vice-chancellor, pro-vice-chancellors for research, education and each of the faculties, the pro-vice-chancellor and deputy warden of the colleges, the registrar and the treasurer.
Under the original constitution of the university, the post of Warden combined the roles of chief executive and formal head of the university. Charles Thorp was appointed acting warden in December 1831 by Bishop William van Mildert, and in 1834 he was appointed to the position on a permanent basis by the dean and chapter of Durham Cathedral. After Thorp's death in 1862, the post of Warden was held ex officio by the Dean of Durham, with Sub-Warden becoming a permanent post, presaging the vice-chancellorship. From 1909, with the creation of the federal university, and the handing over of the dean and chapter's responsibilities to the newly formed council, the executive and formal roles were officially separated into the vice-chancellor and the chancellor, with the warden becoming the chancellor and the sub-warden becoming the vice-chancellor. The vice-chancellor was elected by the council to serve a two-year term. In 1937 the permanent posts of Warden of the Durham Colleges and Rector of King's College were created, with the vice-chancellorship being held by each for two years at a time.
With King's College becoming Newcastle University in 1963, the wardenship of the Durham Colleges was permanently united with the vice-chancellorship as the vice-chancellor and warden. The university numbered Chris Higgins as its 23rd vice-chancellor and warden, implying a count starting with the university's reconstitution in 1909 and continuing through the further reconstitutions in 1937 and 1963 despite the changes of title over this period.
The official residence of the vice-chancellor and warden is Hollingside House, formerly home to John Bacchus Dykes.
In May 2021, the University Council announced that Professor Karen O’Brien would become the university's first female vice-chancellor and warden, taking her post in January 2022. Antony Long, the deputy vice-chancellor and provost, served as interim vice-chancellor from August 2021 until January 2022.

Wardens of Durham University

Source: Durham University records.

Sub-wardens

Source: Fowler and Durham University records.
  • 1839 – 1840 Henry Jenkyns
  • 1840 – 1841 Temple Chevallier
  • 1841 – 1842 Henry Jenkyns
  • 1842 – 1843 John Edwards
  • 1843 – 1844 Temple Chevallier
  • 1844 – 1845 Henry Jenkyns
  • 1845 – 1846 John Edwards
  • 1846 – 1847 Temple Chevallier
  • 1847 – 1848 Henry Jenkyns
  • 1848 – 1849 John Edwards
  • 1849 – 1850 Temple Chevallier
  • 1850 – 1851 Henry Jenkyns
  • 1851 – 1852 John Edwards
  • 1852 – 1853 Temple Chevallier
  • 1853 – 1854 Henry Jenkyns
  • 1854 – 1855 John Edwards
  • 1855 – 1856 Temple Chevallier
  • 1856 – 1857 Henry Jenkyns
  • 1857 – 1858 John Edwards
  • 1858 – 1859 Temple Chevallier
  • 1859 – 1860 Henry Jenkyns
  • 1860 – 1861 John Edwards
  • 1861 – 1871 Temple Chevallier
  • 1872 Thomas Saunders Evans
  • 1872 – 1880 Adam S. Farrar
  • 1880 – 1895 Robert J. Pearce
  • 1895 – 1902 Alfred Plummer
  • 1902 – 1909 Frank Byron Jevons

Vice Wardens

Since 1967 the holders of the post of Vice Warden has been held in plurality with that of Pro-Vice-Chancellor.

Vice-chancellors

Source: Durham University records.

Vice-chancellors and wardens

Source: Durham University records except where otherwise noted.

Pro-vice-chancellors

Source: Durham University records.
The post of pro-vice-chancellor was created, along with those of chancellor and vice-chancellor, by the Durham University Act 1908. The number of PVCs has varied over the years, from three over 1910–1937, dropping to one from 1937–1967, and rising since then to reach the current five in 2021. From 2004 to 2016 one of the PVCs was 'pro-vice-chancellor and deputy vice-chancellor'; from 2016 this became the 'deputy vice-chancellor and provost'. Since the mid 2010s, the PVCs have had responsibility for specific portfolios – as of 2023 these are: education; research; colleges and student experience; global; and equality, diversity and inclusion, but have previously also included PVCs for each of the university's faculties.

Pro-vice-chancellors and deputy vice-chancellors

Deputy vice-chancellors and provosts

  • 2016-2022 Antony Long
  • 2022–2023 Richard Crisp ; formerly Deputy Provost
  • 2023–present Mike Shipman