You’ve heard of glamping – camping, but with a luxurious upgrade – but what about champing?
Across the country, a growing number of churches are now offering church camping as an overnight stay with a difference.
And St Michael the Archangel at Booton is the first in Norfolk to welcome guests to enjoy the unique champing experience.
Norfolk is blessed with many beautiful churches, but St Michael the Archangel is one of the most distinctive and fascinating, shaped by eccentric rector the Rev Whitwell Elwin.
He arrived at his medieval parish church in 1850 and spent the next 50 years redesigning and rebuilding it.
He had no architectural experience, but incorporated his favourite features from the Palace of Westminster, Glastonbury Abbey and Oxford colleges into his design.
“Just even travelling to it, it just stands out in the Norfolk countryside, it’s got its glorious twin towers and gothic architecture,” says Fiona Silk, champing business development officer for the Churches Conservation Trust, which runs the scheme.
“One of the particular features that I love is the angels. There are lots of carved angels in other Norfolk churches too, but these ones are modelled on Elwin’s female acquaintances.
“It’s very much an alive church, the local communities do still have services there and you can still be married there if you’re part of the local community. They also have music concerts there too, so it’s still much well-loved and you get to experience that peace, that serenity whilst staying there.
“It’s a glorious open space and you can’t help but stare up in wonder at the beautiful stained glass and the light coming through. I’ve stayed there myself and it’s got wonderful acoustics – I took my cello and had a little play.”
And if you look up, you’ll also catch sight of the resident bats.
“When dusk comes in the summertime, you can stand outside in the churchyard and have a look at the bats leaving the church and then coming back,” says Fiona.
“It’s got vast high ceilings, so right up at the top in the rafters the bats will have a little test flight before they go out hunting. They’re way above your head, they’re not interested in you, but you have the experience of being close to protected British wildlife.”
You have exclusive use of the church for your stay and most of what you need will be provided, so there’s no need to worry if you’ve not got any camping kit. And there's the option to add breakfast.
“Once you’ve hired the church, you will get camp beds set up, camp chairs, a little table, lanterns, fairy lights and candles, mugs and a kettle so you can have your hot drinks for the night. Most people bring their own bedding for the night, but we can provide it as an optional extra as well,” says Fiona.
The idea for champing came from Churches Conservation Trust chief executive Peter Aiers when, back in 2015, the organisation was looking at new ways of making churches multi-purpose, to welcome more visitors and generate some revenue to help with maintenance and repairs.
The first champing church was the 13th century All Saints Church in Aldwincle on the River Nene in Northamptonshire in conjunction with a company that offered canoe tours. When it proved popular, the scheme was expanded.
“Of course it’s not really a new idea,” says Fiona. “Pilgrims went from church to church, but it’s something that we have done with CCT since 2015 and it’s grown since.
“And it’s inspired other churches from around the world to also set up their own overnight camping schemes too.”
There are currently 13 champing churches run by the Churches Conservation Trust, plus two partner churches, with hopes that more will be added throughout the 2022 summer season.
“We welcome all churches into the champing community,” says Fiona.
And all visitors are welcome too.
“Each church is unique and I think everybody has their own experience of it,” she says.
“You don’t have to be religious, you can be any age, you don’t have to be a regular churchgoer or have even thought about stepping into a church before,” she says.
“The history, the beauty of the artworks, the architecture, all contributes to whatever experience you particularly get from it."
Other champing churches in the region include St Cyriac and St Julitta at Swaffham Prior, Cambridgeshire and St Mary the Virgin at Stansted Mountfitchet, Essex. It costs £49 per adult, per night (£25 per child) Monday to Thursday and £59 per adult, per night (£30 per child) Friday to Sunday. Breakfast is £12.50 per person.
The champing season begins on April 1 and runs until October 30.
For more information visit champing.co.uk
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