Carry on 'champing'! In church camping to three sites for 2015
The Churches Conservation Trust today announced the expansion of its unique ‘champing’ breaks – which offer the chance to sleep the night in a Grade I and II* listed church – to three sites for the 2015 season, following the success of a pilot project in 2014 at Aldwincle in Northamptonshire.
‘Champers’ will now be able to choose from three rural churches for their break:
- Enjoying the Georgian interior of the Church of St Cyriac and St Julitta at Swaffham Prior in Cambridgeshire.
- Revelling in the Medieval simplicity of All Saints' Church in Aldwincle, Northamptonshire.
- Bedding down in a box pew beneath the 17th century wall paintings of the Church of St Mary the Virgin in Fordwich, Kent.
Champing adventures in 2015 will cost £60 per person per night, including breakfast, but those booking before 1st June will also be able to take advantage of a limited-term early bird offer of £45 per person per night. Alongside the standard champing break, The Churches Conservation Trust can also arrange activities to complement stays, including leisurely walks, canoeing adventures, storytelling and meditation.
The church camping breaks see ‘champers’ enjoy a two-day, one night break, including a night by candlelight in one of England’s treasured country churches. Guests have the building to themselves for a peaceful night’s sleep interrupted only by the sounds of the natural world, and time to explore the beauty of the surrounding countryside at their own pace by day.
Peter Aiers, Director of The Churches Conservation Trust in the South East, said: ""We’ve had such a positive response to our ‘champing’ breaks that we’ve decided to expand them to two more churches for the 2015 champing season, and I’m delighted that our beautiful churches in Fordwich and Swaffham Prior have been chosen to take part.
“As a veteran ‘champer’, I can recommend it without reservation. There’s something so special about the silence and tranquillity of a rural church, and enjoying this over two days is a great way to commune with centuries of history, whilst escaping the push-button trappings of modern life.
“It’s great to be able to give guests the opportunity to be the key holder of one of our churches for a weekend, so they can not only enjoy the interior beauty of these buildings, but also head out and enjoy the natural beauty of rural England in the same way our ancestors would have, travelling on foot, dining at the local pub and soaking up the sights and sounds of the country.”