Many of our most desirable hotels are in beautiful historic buildings, yet a night’s stay in one often comes with a steep price tag. In contrast, our churches are equally remarkable historic buildings, built by skilled medieval craftsmen, that offer a heritage experience accessible to all.
The beauty of a church is also so much more than the sum of its stone and timber. It lies in the stories it holds and the generations who have passed through its doors. While a daytime visit allows a glimpse of that history, the best way to truly understand these places is by spending extended time within them. Champing – the name for spending the night inside a church – offers that rare, immersive experience.
The Practicalities
So, what does champing actually mean in practice? Well, for a minimum fee, it allows people to spend the night inside historic churches, some still in active use and others used only occasionally. Sleeping arrangements vary, from bringing all your own bedding to being provided with at least a mattress. Facilities may also be on site or nearby. This is far from glamping. Champing is deliberately simple, practical, and low impact reflecting the long tradition of churches as places of welcome and sanctuary.
Sometimes, simplicity is the best way to put luxury into perspective. Today, much of life is framed around what we “deserve” and the pursuit of comfort. Yet without occasionally embracing restraint, how can we truly appreciate these comforts or stay grounded? Champing offers that opportunity: a practical, pared-back experience that reminds us all of what really matters.
Background
Champing began as a practical response to a shared problem. Many historic churches face rising repair costs and shrinking congregations, while walkers and cyclists are always looking for meaningful and affordable places to stay overnight. By opening churches for overnight stays, champing creates a direct link between visitors and conservation. Income from each stay goes towards maintenance and repair, and just as importantly, it keeps these buildings open, used, and valued – a purpose that, sadly, fewer people engage with today. Champing also fosters advocacy. Those who spend the night often leave with a stronger sense of responsibility for the church’s future. Without this kind of support, many buildings would face slow decline, and once lost, that heritage is gone forever.
Let’s go Champing!
Taking a step into the unknown is always a little daunting, which is why I’ve planned one of this year’s Legacy of Belief walks — Night in the Nave — around a chance to try champing. On Thursday 7 May, we’ll drive east before walking up onto the Downs above the Long Man of Wilmington, looping back past Sussex’s smallest church and an ancient yew, before enjoying a pub dinner and bedding down in the nave of Firle Church — a registered sanctuary with the British Pilgrimage Trust. There will be safety in numbers and plenty of shared excitement along the way.
Like most of you, I’ll be a champing novice. However, I’ve been told, that sleeping in a church at night is a unique experience, with the quiet settling around the stone walls, the space feeling larger and older than life, and the echoes of generations — or perhaps their ghosts — whispering as you drift off to sleep. I think it will be a fabulous adventure so hope some of you will be brave enough to join me.
If you can’t make this overnight experience but would like to learn more or find other churches offering sanctuary or champing opportunities, do visit the British Pilgrimage Trust website. The Church Conservation Trust and a website called Champing also offer Champing opportunities, though be aware that their offer is more akin to glamping in a church, with a corresponding price tag. However, supporting champing of either kind helps protect heritage and keeps our churches alive, used, and valued, something that matters to walkers, local communities, and future generations alike.
