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Champing

@churchcamping.bsky.social
31 followers 26 following 29 posts

Sleepovers with soul... 🕯️ Spend the night in an ancient UK church. A unique overnight adventure from the Churches Conservation Trust. #Champing #HistoricStay #SleepoversWithSoul champing.co.uk

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Champing @churchcamping.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
The seasons are starting to change, can you feel it in the air? 🍂 These photos from the Champing hosts at St Peter's, Wolfhampcote show all the beautiful changes happening in the churchyard! Images © CCT #Autumn #History 🏺
Orange, yellow and brown leaves on the ground, with St Peter's Church in Wolfhamcote in the background.Blackthorn berries on a bush in the graveyard of St Peter's church, Wolfhamcote.Red berries on a bush with the an arched window of St Peter's church in the backgroundTwo camping beds and chairs set up in the corner of an old church next to a arched window. The church is dimly but warmly lit with fairy lights and candles.
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Champing @churchcamping.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
Churches are a haven for bats, providing them with plenty of nooks where they can roost in a quiet, safe space. They are protected in the UK, so we work with conservation and wildlife specialists to keep Champing churches a safe space for bats and guests! Image © Daniel Hargreaves #Wildlife
A Common Pipistrelle bat nesting in a circular hole.
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Champing @churchcamping.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Join Victoria Jenner as she takes you on 6 unique sleepovers at some of our Champing churches! Featuring interviews with historians, authors and staff, it’s the perfect gateway into the world of Champing. Just search for “Nights in the Nave” on your podcast platform of choice! #History 🏺
The "Nights in the Nave" podcast cover  shows the silhouette of a church tower and a bat in front of the moon. Around the cover art, the text reads: Join the sleepover! Find us on your favourite podcast platform".
Around the image and text are small white stars and a sketch of some wired headphones.
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Andy @andydrummond.eurosky.social · 26/08/2026
This looks like such a nice idea - churches offering a place for travellers to sleep. I wonder why it’s not more common, particularly in rural areas? #Champing #SlowTravel
champing.co.uk
Discover Our Range Of Champing™ Churches around the country
We have surprised and delighted people all over the world with a very simple idea: camping in historic churches! Discover our Champing™ churches and book today.
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Churches Conservation Trust @visitchurches.bsky.social · 25/06/2026
Historic churches are cool during hot weather, with their high ceilings and thick walls providing a shaded sanctuary from the blistering heat. Why not stop by one of our sites to cool off? We welcome dogs too, as we know our furry friends can also struggle in the heat. #staycool
A happy golden retriever pokes it's head out of a box pew and sticks out it's tongue.
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Champing @churchcamping.bsky.social · 06/08/2026
We offer up to 2 FREE child stays during the summer holidays. 🚨✨️ So far this season, we've hosted 86 children and 23 of those were free child spaces! 📍Book now to secure your spot before August is over! #Champing #History #Archeology #Church 🏛️🗃️🏺 Image 1 © CCT Images 2-3 © Neil Randall
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Champing @churchcamping.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
🏛️ Last month our Communications Manager, Chana James, was interviewed on BBC Radio to discuss #Champing. 🏺 Click to hear what she had to say: www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m... 🗃️ This recording will only be available for a short period of time, so listen before it's too late! Image © Neil Randall
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Champing @churchcamping.bsky.social · 25/07/2026
⛪️ Ever heard of the mysterious mis-alignment of St Mary's in Walkhampton? 🗃️ Curiously, the church faces north-east (sunrise on the summer solstice), rather than due east and also points to Gipsy Rock, the Walkhampton Hundred's meeting place. What do you think? Design or coincidence? 🏺
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Champing @churchcamping.bsky.social · 20/07/2026
Step back in time with a stay at Old Langho, one of a handful of churches built immediately after the Reformation. It's believed that much of its stonework came from the dissolved Whalley Abbey: beautiful carvings, windows, plinths, the piscina, and credence. 🗃️🏺 Image 1 © CCT Image 2 © Joseph Casey
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Champing @churchcamping.bsky.social · 11/07/2026
Experience the magic of #Champing at St Laurence Church, Hilmarton. This truly unique stay is perfectly placed for unforgettable days out, with Bowood House, Avebury, Longleat, Lacock and Stonehenge all within easy reach. The perfect base for a family adventure or history-filled getaway. 🏛️🏺🗃️
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Champing @churchcamping.bsky.social · 09/07/2026
Go #Champing at St Andrew’s, Wroxeter this summer and enjoy some ancient history! 🏛️🏺🗃️ Wroxeter Roman City is a stone’s throw away, and so is the Wroxeter Roman Vineyard which offers tours, tastings, and afternoon tea. Images © Tom Jones #History #Archeology #Monument #Church #RomanHistory
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Champing @churchcamping.bsky.social · 07/07/2026
Hidden in the picturesque village of Claverley, Shropshire, All Saints Church has welcomed worshippers since 675 AD. Inside is one of England's most remarkable surviving medieval wall paintings: an early 13th-century frieze of battling knights on horseback, often compared to the Bayeux Tapestry. 🏺🗃️
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Ste Lingard @stelingard.bsky.social · 01/06/2025
The graveyard at GI listed St. Stephen's Church, Fylingdales, looking out to sea beyond Robin Hood's Bay. Now in the care of the Churches Conservation Trust. #NorthYorkshire #StandingStoneSunday #ChurchCrawling 📷 My own
A gravemarker in the shape of an early medieval preaching cross, in an old graveyard overlooking the North Sea.
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History and Heritage Yorkshire @handhyorkshire.bsky.social · 31/05/2026
Today is Trinity Sunday. The redundant Holy Trinity Church in Wensley, cared for by the Churches Conservation Trust, stands on Saxon foundations by the River Ure. The present building dates from the 13th century, with later additions including a 1719 tower. From the 1300s, it was
Holy Trinity Church is a Grade I listed medieval church standing on the site of an earlier Saxon place of worship. Dating largely from the mid-thirteenth century, it is built of stone rubble with sandstone dressings, while its tower was added in 1719. Now cared for by the Churches Conservation Trust, the redundant church contains a wealth of historic features, including Saxon stonework, fifteenth-century Flemish brasses and a seventeenth-century pew associated with the powerful Scrope family.
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Champing @churchcamping.bsky.social · 03/07/2026
Whitgift Church dates back to the 1300s and is full of stories, but one of its most intriguing features is its unusual clock face. Instead of the Roman numeral XII, you'll find XIII...13! No one can give a definitive explanation for this detail, although plenty of theories have been suggested...🗃️🤔
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Champing @churchcamping.bsky.social · 17/06/2026
Sleeping in churches has its roots in medieval pilgrimage traditions... During long and difficult journeys, pilgrims would travel vast distances to visit holy sites, seeking sanctuary, rest, and sometimes miraculous healing. Today, #Champing continues this tradition... ⛪️🏺🗃️ Images © Joseph Casey
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Champing @churchcamping.bsky.social · 08/06/2026
Stay overnight stay in the place of John Dryden's birth ⛪️✍️ Possibly the greatest English poet and playwright of the 17th century, John Dryden was born in the rectory at Aldwincle where his grandfather was rector of our All Saints' Church. 🏺🗃️ Image 1 © CCT Image 2 © Joseph Casey
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Champing @churchcamping.bsky.social · 05/06/2026
Did you know churchyards are very important spaces for wildlife? 🐝 As part of #LoveYourBurialGroundWeek, combine a #champing stay with a spot of nature-spotting. Explore wildflowers, watch for pollinators and discover the biodiversity of churchyards. 🗃️🏺 Image 1 © Oliver Roos Image 2 © David Joyner
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Champing @churchcamping.bsky.social · 03/06/2026
🚴 + 🥾 + ⛪ = the perfect adventure. Celebrate #WorldBicycleDay by discovering champing: overnight stays in historic churches, with fantastic cycling and walking routes right on the doorstep. #Champing #Cycling #OutdoorAdventure #Church #History #Architecture 🏺🗃️ Images © Andy Marshall
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Champing @churchcamping.bsky.social · 26/05/2026
Are you familiar with the Roman history of Wroxeter? 🏺🗃️ According to local legend, a poor, old woman found herself having recurring dreams of a large jug, brimming with coins. She told her husband but her claims fell on ignorant ears. On the third dream, she learnt the location of the jug...
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Champing @churchcamping.bsky.social · 22/05/2026
St Peter’s Church, Wolfhampcote 🌙⛪ A medieval church and the sole trace of a lost village. Why did it vanish? Legends blame the Black Death; historians point to climate change or evictions. Book a stay and experience it for yourself! #History #Archeology #Church #Champing Photos © Joseph Casey
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Champing @churchcamping.bsky.social · 19/05/2026
Save 25% when you book two nights! Swap ordinary hotels for a one-of-a-kind holiday: historic settings, calm mornings, and photo-ready moments. #History #Archeology #Monument #Champing #Church #TravelPhotography Photography © Joseph Casey
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Champing @churchcamping.bsky.social · 15/05/2026
Introducing St Peter's Church in Hockwold cum Wilton, Norfolk! You can now spend the night at this beautiful Grade I listed building dating from the fourteenth century and filled with fascinating monuments. Book today and enjoy a unique getaway with #Champing. Photography © John Salmon
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Champing @churchcamping.bsky.social · 07/05/2026
Imagine waking up in a centuries-old church and stepping outside to discover miles of cycling routes waiting to be explored... On our website, you’ll find insight into scenic rambling routes and hidden footpaths near our #champing churches. Book today: champing.co.uk Images © Andy Marshall
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Champing @churchcamping.bsky.social · 27/04/2026
10 Years on from the beginnings of Champing, we catch up with Chana James from the Churches Conservation Trust, about some of the challenges encountered along the way. If you want to step up your camping game, and make a historic church your tent for the night, visit champing.co.uk ✨️
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Champing @churchcamping.bsky.social · 14/04/2026
How did #Champing begin? The journey of Champing started when a group of young adventurous Scouts asked to camp overnight in one of the churches cared for by the Churches Conservation Trust (CCT), the charity caring for redundant churches across England.
Churchyard and exterior of Aldwincle church. Photography © David Joyner.
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Champing @churchcamping.bsky.social · 07/04/2026
Hello Bluesky! 👋 We’re Champing, an initiative run by the Churches Conservation Trust. We open up some of the UK’s most beautiful historic churches for unforgettable overnight stays. We’re new here and excited to share stories, spaces and a different way to travel. ⛪ #Champing #Heritage #History
Candlelit interior of All Saints' Church in Aldwincle, Northamptonshire. Photograph © David Joyner.
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