INTRODUCING OUR RECTOR

First of all, a bit of background: my father was Australian and a Chaplain in the Mission to Seamen, and my mother German. They met whilst both working in the Seamen’s Mission in London, and after marrying my father chose to go into parish ministry. He served his curacy at St Saviour’s Church in Walmer and I was born in Buckland Hospital in Dover – so I have local connections. We subsequently moved to Thanet and then Ruckinge, on the edge of Romney Marsh, and it was there that my father died when I was 15.

My mum, sister and I moved to Ashford and I went on to University at Southampton (I’m still a fan of the Saints) and then Bath to do teacher training. I returned to Ashford to teach at the Norton Knatchbull School where I stayed until making the decision to explore ordination – eventually going to Queen’s Theological College in Birmingham to train.

My first post was as curate at St Mary of Charity in Faversham and then Minister-in-Charge at St Augustine’s Church in Folkestone, which is shared with the Greek Orthodox Church and has a thriving children’s centre. Since then I have been the Vicar of St Mary’s Church in Dover for the last 12 years and also Priest-in-Charge of the village parish of St Martin of Tours, Guston for 10 years. During my time in Dover, I also served for six years as Area Dean.

As far as family goes, I have a son, Christopher, who is in year 10 at Dover Grammar School for Boys, and stepchildren; Charlotte and Sam. Charlotte is in her final year training as a primary school teacher and is currently working as a teaching assistant in East London, and Sam is in his first year at Kingston University.

In my spare time I enjoy the outdoors, especially walking and cycling, and I like sport - watching rather than playing these days! I can sometimes be seen on the terraces at Dover Athletic.

  Revd. David Ridley




The Clergy Team

Associate Priest