Champing

We’re delighted to offer you Champing at St Barnabas Church from the heart of Queen Camel village in . Please note, that this is still an active church with services on Sundays and bellringing on some Wednesday evenings. Queen Camel is a thriving community with a shop, café, pub, and pottery. It’s a lovely location to explore with plenty of historical sites nearby. You can wander back in time and approach the west gate along a cobbled stone path built at the same time as the church rebuild, leading you along rows of picturesque stone cottages. Situated between and Yeovil, 1hrs drive from Bristol Airport and just off the A303, Queen Camel easily connects to a wealth of historic landmarks locally, including at around 40 minutes drive away. It’s also close to the mainline stations at Sherborne and Castle Cary and conveniently has a bus stop on the road next to the church.
This authentic medieval church can host up to 8 Champers, has an accessible flushing toilet, a kitchenette with sink, microwave, toaster, crockery & cutlery and you can of course bring you dog along!
For more information regarding accessibility please email [email protected].
Book your next Champing adventure today: https://champing.co.uk/church/queen-camel-somerset-st-barnabas/

Photographs (c) Joseph Casey and Neil Randall

For Champers who enjoy peace, quiet and nature All Saints in Claverly is a perfect fit. Claverly is a charming picturesque village in . The church is a wonderful example of a village church which dates back to 675AD and inside are some notable mediaeval wall paintings to discover.
Claverley is a small rural village surrounded by farmland and stunning countryside walks. In the village itself are two pubs, The Crown and The Plough.
It’s worth popping into Bridgnorth set on the picturesque River Severn. This old English market town has a wealth of history and wonderful architecture, and is also home to the Severn Valley Railway. This heritage steam-railway joins High Town to Low Town, boasting a platform complete with a refreshment room serving breakfast and light lunches, and even an on-platform pub! To make a day of it, take a ride to the fascinating town of Bewdley, or the stunning Arley station, featured on many film and TV productions and a short walk to Arley Arboretum with the longest laburnum arch in Britain!
Please, be aware that this is still an active church with Sunday morning services.
All Saints should be accessible for wheelchair users, but for detailed information please contact [email protected] before you book to make sure this is the right site for you.
Book your next Champing adventure today: https://champing.co.uk/church/claverley-shropshire-all-saints/

Visit Shropshire

Photographs (c) Joseph Casey

Roll up Champers, this is what we’ve all been wishing for – Champing in , and in lovely Lewes too!

Thomas Paine’s Chapel is situated in the heart of ancient Lewes (pronounced “lu-is or loo-is”), close to the castle and surrounded by historic houses, twittens (lanes!) dating back to Saxon times with views down valley to the sea. Locally known as Tom Paines Chapel, it was the chapel used by Thomas Paine before he moved to America where his theories and writings lead to many referring to him as ‘The Father of the American Revolution’.

Once you’ve rambled around Lewes and explored the stunning South Downs National Park you lucky Champers will get to sleep in the chapel beneath the stained glass window and a 16th century Tudor Rose carved in the time of Henry VIII.

This magnificent addition to our Champing churches can host up to 16(!!) Champers, so is ideal for larger groups.

It is also wheelchair accessible throughout, has an accessible flushing toilet, free Wi-Fi and you can bring your dog along too!

This Champing church is a true rarity as it is open ALL YEAR and has heating in the winter, so you could even come here for a cozy stay to attend the famous annual bonfire celebrations in Lewes on the 5th of November.

Find out more and book your next Champing adventure here: https://champing.co.uk/church/lewes-east-sussex-tom-paines-chapel/

that St. Mary the Virgin in Walkhampton, Dartmoor, faces north-east, the point of sunrise on the longest day, rather than due east? Step into a midsummer night’s dream (and a good night’s sleep) at this romantic Champing church situated on a lofty elevation above Walkhampton village. This Champing church sleeps up to 6 people, so bring your friends and/or family! Find out more here: https://champing.co.uk/church/walkhampton-plymouth-st-mary-the-virgin/

Sunset (c) Andy Marshall

On the longest day of the year, we would like to remind you that Champing is one of the best ways to spend a summer evening. What could be more romantic than watching a late sunset over the Yorkshire Dales at our brand-new Champing site of St. Mary’s in Arkengarthdale? This dog-friendly church with accessible toilet sleeps up to 5 people and is the perfect base for , walking or just taking time out to relax in nature.
If you have a big family or many, many friends St. Mary’s in Edlesborough in Buckinghamshire might be more suitable for you. This impressive 14th-Century church has room for up to 10 (!!) people and sits in an ideal location from which to explore the . You can take a virtual tour of this church here: https://www.visitchurches.org.uk/visit/church-listing/st-mary-edlesborough.html
For beautiful and a stay in head to St. Cuthbert’s in Holme Lacy, which sleeps up to 8 people and several extravagant effigies.

Find all our Champing churches here: https://champing.co.uk/where-to-stay/

Window (c) Dr. J Salmon
Sunsets (c) Scottish Redundant Churches Trust
Sun dramatically breaking through trees (c) Joseph Casey

Since it’s launch in 2016, Champing has been attracting an increasing number of partnerships with active churches. Champing can be seen as a lifeline for churches facing pressure to raise funds to prevent closure, but ultimately the money raised is just one of the many benefits of Champing.

One of our newest partner churches is St George's Church in Hindolveston, Norfolk. This cosy church offers exclusive stays for two, is situated close to the award-winning market town of Holt and Fakenham, is dog-friendly and wheelchair accessible!
Find out what more has to offer and book your next Champing adventure today: https://champing.co.uk/church/hindolveston-norfolk-st-georges-church/

Photographs
Slippers (c) Joseph Casey
Bed (c) Neill Randall

With the Champing season now well underway, we would like to remind you that The Churches Conservation Trust members can access the six-episode podcast series that was launched shortly before Christmas, called Nights in the Nave.

Nights in the Nave is a podcast series that combines two of the things CCT does best: churches and sharing the history of them. In these episodes, we discover Champing all over the country with the added twist of inviting renowned historians with us to sleepover at one of these majestic places. Join us as we explore sleeping like a Tudor at St Leonard’s, Old Langho, with Dr Madeleine Pelling; Britain’s forgotten villages at St Peter’s, Wolfhamcote with Dr Matthew Green, and many more!

Login to CCTdigital to listen to this podcast series, and to catch up on other exclusive content, including 5 documentary series and countless lectures. Not a member yet? Join today: https://www.visitchurches.org.uk/get-involved/join-today.html

Champing in Essex can be a comfortable adventure. With not just one but two remarkable medieval churches in stunning locations you can turn your Champing trip into a Champing tour. Berden offers all the amenities you could wish for. Situated in a peaceful, rural setting in the village of Berden and easily accessible by public transport, this charming church comes with electricity, hot water, a microwave, a fridge, a sink and a flushing toilet! So, it is a great choice for a longer stay. You can even pre-book a continental breakfast or visit one of the nearby pubs if you prefer a full English!

Only a 6 mile walk away lies our second Essex Champing church St. Mary the Virgin in Stansted Mountfichet, right next to the grounds of Stansted Hall. Explore Mountfichet Castle, the Wimpole Estate, Audley Hall or the Duxford Imperial War Museum! You can really have it all in . Find out more here: https://champing.co.uk/church/berden-essex-st-nicholas-church/
https://champing.co.uk/church/stansted-mountfitchet-essex-st-mary-the-virgin/

Please note that Stansted Mountfichet is dog-friendly like most of our Champing Churches, but only service dogs are allowed in Berden.

🌟Merry Christmas!🌟It's our last post of the year, so from everyone at Champing, a huge thank you for loving and supporting our Champing churches this year 🙏 and we all hope to welcome you through a church door soon 😊

"We had a fabulous stay in this church. It was our first time champing and we were pleasantly surprised by how cosy the church felt and how comfy the beds were! We loved being able to watch the bats while having a cup of tea and sharing the churchyard with the curious sheep and cows, although the latter did lick all the windows of the car 🤣 we would definitely recommend staying here to anyone who's thinking of giving champing a go 😁"

Champing can mean getting up close to wildlife - often seen as a bonus of sleeping in churches - imagine bats, butterflies, birds, and in Wolfhampcote look out for the cows that love to lick cars, and inquisitive sheep! Cow wash anyone? 😜Book here: https://champing.co.uk/church/wolfhampcote-warwickshire-st-peters-church/

“I had a great stay at this church. Very welcoming, dog friendly, loved our cupcakes on arrival. Bring your own wine, super close to Keswick, and Grasmere is on the drive back to the motorway. They supplied hot water bottles, and very comfortable camp beds as well as lovely fairy lights, and the local takeaway info. They had plugs to charge your phone. The toilet was outside, but you are staying in a church. Would definitely recommend and stay again.”

Thank you Kate! ❤And a big thanks for sharing your super photos and video too, complete with Kate's own music soundtrack 🙏 check out Kate & Handsome Jack's Champing adventure here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qY74qIEV-8k&feature=youtu.be

Day 24! 👏Christmas Eve! 🌟And just one more Champing church to unlock! 🎉To book your own Champing adventure at St Luke's in Clifton, open all year round with a year round warm welcome (just note, there is no heating!), click here https://champing.co.uk/church/clifton-west-cumbria-st-lukes-church/

It's day 23 of our church Advent and we've 3 gifts for you! 🎉 Christmas has come early! 🌟

💒Firstly, welcome to St Leonard's of Watlington! We're so excited to present to you our new partnership with this fantastic community church - we know you're going to love staying here, immersing yourself in it's history and exploring the surrounding countryside! Book for 1-4 people here https://champing.co.uk/church/watlington-oxfordshire-st-leonards/

💒Secondly, we have early bird offer for you, open when making a booking from now until the 31st January. Simply book a stay for 2 or more people from January until 31st May and use code EARLYBIRD2024 to receive 10% off!

💒Thirdly, for families looking to get something to look forward to on the horizon, we are offering our popular FREE child stays during the summer holidays! Book a stay from 19th July to 31st August and simply choose 1-4 free child places automatically FREE. There's no time-limit on booking a family stay, but if you'd like your chosen dates, we suggest you book early!

It’s Fridaaayyy!! Grab a cuppa, sit back, and enjoy a glimpse of St Mary’s in Edlesborough. “Where?” “Near Dunstable, locally known as the Church on The Hill, with nearby Whipsnade Zoo with great walks over Dunstable Downs, and all The Chilterns National Landscape on your church doorstep to enjoy,” “How can I book?” https://champing.co.uk/church/edlesborough-buckinghamshire-st-marys-church/

We love a good honest review, and couldn’t wait to share this one with you! To be fair, we do get asked a lot about taking videos of Champing stays, which is usually a “no” or if the video might be something that gives you all a better idea of what Champing is all about, then then usually it’s a “yes”! Carolyn, a talented musician and vlogger of all things she gets up to, kindly put together a short video and wrote us some feedback after her solo stay:

“What an adventure I had at St. Mary's in Edlesborough! Looking for a last minute accommodation for one night during my trip to London in October, I came across Champing. As I was looking for exciting places to sleep at which would serve as great content for my YouTube channel, sleeping in a church seemed like the perfect thing to do. After having read on the website that no filming is allowed other than for private purposes, I contacted Fiona from the Champing team and was over the moon when she kindly allowed me to film my stay for YouTube. She also booked me in right away and was very kind, giving me loads of helpful tips.

Due to trouble with public transport, I arrived in the dark, so sadly, I didn't get to see St.Mary's in daylight, as I had to leave very early in the morning. But I was equipped with all the information I needed from Fiona and safely found everything- keys, toilet, etc... The first thing I did, though, was walk around and turn on all the fairy lights and LED candles... I then inspected the sitting and sleeping areas. Despite being in a church on my own in what felt like the middle of nowhere (sorry, Edlesborough :-)...), it did feel so homely. Both chairs in the sitting area had blankets and hot water bottles and there were mugs with tea, coffee and hot chocolate (including a kettle in another corner where there was a socket). Water was available from a water cooler. There were some games and also folders with information about the area.

The beds, of which I only needed one, were set up just in front of the altar. It did feel slightly strange at first. But I settled in and filled up all four hot water bottles to heat up the bed. I then went to test out the toilet (a camping toilet, of which I barely noticed the difference to our toilet at home) and on the way back finally noticed the light switches... I hadn't realised there were any at first, but it was exciting to be able to see St.Mary's in its full beauty, which is why I would recommend making sure you either arrive or leave in daylight. If you ask me- make sure you have daylight when you get there, so it will be easier to find your way around. And depending on how long you are staying and what your plans are, maybe check out swimming pools in the area in case you fancy a shower. This was important for me, as I was travelling a lot all week.

All in all, I would definitely recommend Champing- it was a wonderful adventure and I will surely be coming again- next time with family or friends- and possibly my dog as they actually allow dogs at most of the churches. Oh yes- and I will make sure to arrive in daylight :-)...

I think Champing is a great way of getting around and I hope my YouTube video that I will be releasing about my stay (probably in spring, so it's nearer the time they reopen) will support them and bring a few more guests to their churches.
Happy Champing :-)!”

Ahhh, thank you Carolyn for all your support, it really is appreciated, and we can’t wait to see your video in the spring time! Here’s a link to Carolyn’s channel https://www.youtube.com/ to see what else she gets up to!

"Thank you again for another wonderful experience. This was our 5th champ and 2nd at St Thomas Friarmere. It simply is amazing to be able to do this. It's the thing my kids and I look forward to every year."

Thank you Katie - great to hear your children love staying too. Watch out for an offer coming soon that might suit your family for next season 🤫 It's certainly a church with the "wow" factor! Positioned overlooking Delph and the moors beyond, and understandable known locally as Height’s Chapel. After a short drive up a steep and narrow lane, you discover a Georgian preaching church with commanding views over the landscape – it’s great place to just sit and admire the sunset, sunrise, and the starry sky in between! To book a room with a view click here https://champing.co.uk/church/friarmere-lancashire-st-thomas/

To keep our churches open, we spend around £2500 a year. The money goes on necessary conservation work and regular maintenance checks which enable the churches to be kept in a safe condition for visitors to enjoy. By booking a Champing stay, you’re helping to raise this money needed - thank you! 👏🙏

There are other ways of giving, including Champing gift vouchers you can email to your friends or family (https://thecct.anytimebooking.eu/place_booking/preset/48113/ ), purchasing a membership of CCT to support our conservation work (https://www.visitchurches.org.uk/membership.html ), or give directly to a church of your choosing. Here are the details for donating to St Thomas’ in Friarmere: Text FRM to 70970 to give £5, or Text FRM to 70191 to give £10 or donate on this webpage here (https://www.visitchurches.org.uk/donate.html?project=donate-st-thomas-church-friarmere-greate-manchester&period=Single).

We understand that not everyone is able to donate, and we recognise support is received in many other ways, so thank you for all your support in helping protect our heritage over this last year – we’ve appreciated all your messages, comments, and likes on our social media posts, and also your emails and feedback, your kind words of encouragement and appreciation, and all our helpers and volunteers who give their precious time to help directly in these churches. Thank you all! 🙏❤️

"Just to say we had an amazing stay at St Mary's Church Longsleddale. The pre-visit information was 'spot on', the location spectacular and the weather out of this world. The accommodation felt very 'homely' and welcoming and we would definitely return with our husbands! The purpose of our visit was to see if this is something we could do in our own Parish church in rural Northumberland, as you can imagine we left with excitement and lots of ideas. So thank you once again."

Many thanks Sue & Lorna, we'd love to welcome your husbands too next time, and hopefully together we can get Northumberland on the Champing map too!

Longsleddale is the village that inspired Postman Pat children's TV series, with stunning views through the valley and beyond. St Mary's also hosted BBC2's Simon Reeves when he showcased The Lakes, and never fails to impress guests who love the location and the community hall space to use next door. Book a stay here https://champing.co.uk/church/longsleddale-cumbria-st-marys/

It's Day 20 Champers! That's 20 Champing churches to inspire you this December! We have more in the countdown to Christmas, and some new churches to tell you about in January too - we're looking forward to sharing them all with you! We're also bringing back a popular special offer early, as a festive treat to say thank you to everyone who supports our Champing churches through staying overnight. We'll let you know more shortly!

New for spring next year 🎉 Champing at Whitgift by a partnership with The Friends of St Magalene’s. Staying here will help support a fantastic community church, with The Friends saying “Whitgift Parish Church is a beautiful Grade I listed building in the heart of the Whitgift and Reedness community. It is already used as much more than a place of worship, providing space for community activity and cultural events. The Parochial Church Council wants to build on this and encourage greater use of the building. Our ultimate aim is to restore and improve the premises by repairing the roof and installing up to date kitchen and toilet facilities, so that we can develop the building as a local centre for arts, culture and heritage for the marshlands villages, including the wonderful natural environment in which the church sits.”

A super village location with a pub a short walk away, or venture out for wildlife watching in the nearby reedbeds and marshes. Sleeping 2-6 people, with kitchenette and flushing toilet, book here https://champing.co.uk/church/whitgift-east-riding-of-yorkshire-st-mary-magdalene/

“What a lovely village and we stayed in the epicentre of its history. Lovely evening in the local pubs and back for a restful cool evening sleep amongst the pews. Now keen to actually walk the pilgrims route.”

It’s day 18 and we’re taking you to a popular Kent town, Fordwich! Village like in appearance, England’s smallest town boasts both a Michelin-starred restaurant and a family pub, with walks along the river Stour and canoeing or paddleboarding available too! The history of Fordwich is somewhat a mystery, being first recorded in AD675, with it’s location as a ford and crossing during Roman times and as a Cinque Port since the 13th century making it an important settlement. The north aisle features the earliest parts of the church, including the font of Norman design and the Fordwich Stone dating from AD1100, assumed to be part of a shrine of St Augustine. With it’s proximity to Canterbury, the Pilgrims Way and St Augustine’s Way passes through Fordwich, with many people stopping at St Mary’s to stamp their pilgrim’s passport or to rest a while on their journey.

As well as good walking routes, Fordwich is easily accessible by train from London, bike, or even arrive by canoe! Book a stay and soak up some history here: https://champing.co.uk/church/fordwich-kent-st-mary-the-virgin-church/

Our Champing partners are with active churches looking to welcome new visitors to enjoy their church and to bring in additional funds to help with maintenance. Many of these active churches open for Champing have been updated to include modern accessible toilets and kitchenettes, but not all! St Botolph’s has a perfectly situated community hall next door, providing Champers with all the necessary. The friendly community even come together for a monthly breakfast which you’re welcome to join!

“Amazing night Grandma and 3 children doing lots of crafting and telling of spooky stories. They loved playing the organ, but not to sure if the neighbours enjoyed it ‘he he’. Fabulous place to stay and all the more special with Tim and Louise in charge of the arrangements.”

Thank you Sue – great to hear your grandchildren loved the beautiful space and Tim & Louise made you feel at home. Dating from the 12th century, it’s a gem of church - featuring a Norman south doorway, a 13th century font, and 15th century tower! It’s also great for exploring The Broads or combining your stay
https://champing.co.uk/church/limpenhoe-norfolk-st-botolphs/ with our other Champing partner church in Hindolveston https://champing.co.uk/church/hindolveston-norfolk-st-georges-church/

Day 16 in glorious Herefordshire! St Cuthbert's, for reasons unknown, was built far away from Holme Lacy village on the low lying plain of the River Wye. The history of this church is fascinating, including the influence of the local Scudamore family whose monuments in alabaster look striking against the warm hues of sandstone and plaster barrel ceiling above. The present church dates from the late 13th century, with a 14th century tower housing 8 bells which are popular with visiting ringers.

“We stayed in St Cuthbert's Holme Lacy and it was an amazing experience. We followed the Wye Valley Way from Ross on Wye and arrived very hot and tired. The location was so peaceful and the church lovely and cool. It has a cold water dispenser that was exactly what we needed as the temperature that day was 26+°C! We got exactly what we expected and were very comfortable…”

The welcome coolness of churches in the heat of summer! Thank you Sandy, and great to hear you arrived on foot too – the Wye Valley Walk is a super long distance route, but easily achieved in shorter sections too, with passport stamps to collect along the way!

To book a stay for up to 8 people in beautiful rural Herefordshire click here https://champing.co.uk/church/holme-lacy-herefordshire-st-cuthberts-church/

Your 15th Champing Church in our digital Advent Calendar is St Mary’s in Walkhampton, bordering Dartmoor National Park. St Mary’s curiously faces north-east, the point of sunrise on the longest day of the year, rather than due east. With this alignment, the church points to nearby Gipsy Rock, a possible meeting place of the Walkhampton Hundred in Saxon times. Clearly a church with a long curious history, the present church building comprises of both Roborough Stone and granite, dating from the 14th century with a 15th century piscina, and the tower holds 6 bells proudly rung by the local ringers.

“We had a great time at Walkhampton. The beds were comfy and we appreciated the pint of milk /teabags etc and shortbread biscuits. The location was lovely, we walked across Dartmoor to get there and then back to Ivybridge to get a train. Access was easy, all very clean and tidy. We will definitely be doing it again. Hot water bottles in sleeping bags was a luxury!! Many thanks indeed to all involved. We hope you are able to add to your collection of churches in the future.”

Thank you Louise and Dave – it’s great to hear that even the rural churches are accessible by public transport, and a walk across Dartmoor makes the journey even more special. The active church community have even pulled together some circular walks to enjoy directly from the church, giving you a chance to really discover the local area: https://www.westdartmoor.church/parish-churches/st-marys-walkhampton/

To book a stay in Devon for up to 6 people for next year, complete with kitchenette and accessible toilet, click here: https://champing.co.uk/church/walkhampton-plymouth-st-mary-the-virgin/

Wroxeter was one of the largest towns in Roman Britain, which after the Roman decline, the masonry from the ruined buildings became part of the church. You'll also find Roman columns reused as the font and as two gate pillars to the churchyard entrance. And if that's not enough, you can visit the English Heritage Roman City and the village vineyard to give you more of a taste of Roman life!

"We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at St Andrews on Saturday evening! The church is an absolute gem and we felt incredibly privileged to have it all to ourselves. Our daughter and her 3 friends (all aged 12) had the time of their lives exploring the church and grounds, performing pretend wedding ceremonies, giving speeches from the pulpit and genuinely enjoying a lot of giggles! The perfect stopover after an afternoon exploring the Roman City next door. Thank you for setting up the church so well for us before our arrival, everything was straightforward and hassle free. We found the camp chairs and beds really sturdy and comfortable, and the hot water bottles were a godsend! We would advise other champers to bring additional battery power LED fairy lights, as we did, to really enhance the atmosphere. A good torch is essential for night-time trips to the champ-lav! (Which was really impressive for a dry loo!) We laid a line of our fairylights all the way to the vestry from the font which made our loo trips much more twinkly! Thank you for having us, we will definitely recommend champing to our friends and look forward to our next trip!"

Thank you Sam, we'll include the fairy-light loo trail as an improvement for next season - we're all for night-time twinkles! Here's the link to book your Champing stay
https://champing.co.uk/church/wroxeter-shropshire-st-andrews/