Nomination: Diocese of Salisbury
The Queen has approved the nomination of the Reverend Nicholas Roderick Holtam for election as Bishop of Salisbury.
The Queen has approved the nomination of the Reverend Nicholas Roderick Holtam, BD, MA, FKC, Hon DCL, Vicar of Saint Martin-in-the-Fields in the diocese of London, for election as Bishop of Salisbury in succession to the Right Reverend Dr David Staffurth Stancliffe, MA, DD, on his resignation on 30 September 2010.
Notes for editors
Nicholas Holtam (aged 56) grew up in North London and was educated at The Latymer Grammar School Edmonton. He read geography at Collingwood College, Durham and trained for ordination at King’s College, London and Westcott House, Cambridge.
He served his 1st curacy from 1979 to 1983 at St Dunstan and All Saints Stepney in the diocese of London. From 1983 to 1988 he was a tutor at Lincoln Theological College where he taught Christian Ethics and Mission. From 1988 to 1995 he was Vicar of Christ Church and Saint John with Saint Luke’s Isle of Dogs at the heart of London’s Docklands in the diocese of London during a period of immense change.
Since 1995 he has been Vicar of St Martin-in-the-Fields, Trafalgar Square, in the diocese of London.
The foundation stone of the present church of St Martin-in-the-Fields, which is built of Portland stone, was laid by the Bishop of Salisbury in 1721. It is the parish church of Buckingham Palace and Downing Street as well as of many of London’s homeless people. Its popular Cafe in the Crypt, concerts, shop and events business extend the ministry of the church commercially creating a sustainable community of church, charity and commerce.
St Martin’s is a cosmopolitan community with English and Chinese speaking congregations and strong links across the Anglican Communion. It was the home of religious broadcasting and has a unique relationship with the BBC. St Martin’s has recently completed an award winning £36 million buildings renewal, “for the common good in service of humanity to the greater glory of God”.
Nicholas Holtam is married to Helen who is half-Danish, a committed Quaker and a maths teacher. She grew up in South Africa and Kenya before her parents returned to England to live in Devizes where she went to a grammar school and her father, the late Ted Harris MBE, was secretary to Community Council Wiltshire (1965-1981). Nicholas and Helen have 4 adult children. Nicholas is a regular broadcaster and has written 2 books - ‘A Room with a View: Ministry with the world at your door’ (SPCK 2008), and ‘The Art of Worship’, a book of meditations and prayers in response to favourite paintings in the National Gallery (to be published by Yale University Press, July 2011). He and Helen enjoy the theatre, museums and galleries. Nicholas is a London cyclist and walker who raised over £100,000 by walking the South Downs Way for the Renewal of St Martin’s.