Champing Wolfhampcote

• Sleeps: Up to 12
• Bedrooms: Varies
• Minimum stay: 1 night

First there was camping, then there was glamping, and now, there’s Champing! Church camping is revolutionising the traditional camping break, giving you exclusive use of some of the UK’s greatest listed buildings for the most unforgettable sleepover of your life.

Champing came about in finding long-term, sustainable uses for stunning churches that are no longer used for regular worship. Cared for by The Churches Conservation Trust, these magnificent buildings are some of the greatest architectural wonders our country has to offer, and often come with fascinating histories too. So what better way to appreciate one than to stay in it?

St Peter’s Church stands alone in a field and provides a fabulous opportunity for up to 12 guests to Champ in the peaceful Warwickshire countryside. The only surviving building of the long-gone village of Wolfhampcote (now buried just metres away after its villagers abandoned their homes in the Middle Ages!), St Peter’s has an air of mystery and solitude – and all the makings of a perfect getaway!

Once you step inside, this incredible space is yours to enjoy. You’ll see the ChampBots have set out everything you need for your stay – comfy, fold-out camp beds, beanbags, cushions and camping chairs, and even brightly coloured rugs for an extra touch of home. If you want to move things around just to your liking, go ahead! After all, this is your home for the night, and you’re free to arrange it as you please.

Those ChampBots are even kind enough to provide teabags, coffee, hot chocolate, sugar and all your cups and cutlery. All you need to do is bring the milk and fire up the gas stove for your well-earned cuppa on arrival! Bottled water is provided, as are camping lanterns and battery candles for when it gets dark at night. There’s even a ChampLav set up for you in the churchyard – a dry separating toilet to take care of all necessities!

Forget any preconceptions of tiptoeing round and whispering in the church; as your home for the night, you’re free to chat, laugh, sing, dance around – whatever takes your fancy. Kids can run about or play the best game of hide-and-seek ever, while adults can relax back in a camping chair with a bottle of wine (the ChampBots even provide the corkscrew).

It’s not every day you get to stay in a Grade II* listed church, so be sure to explore every nook and cranny of St Peter’s during your stay. You’ll find its rather austere limestone and sandstone exterior in direct contrast to the light and airy interior, where white plastered walls and elegant architecture create a distinctly tranquil feel. Sunlight spills through the huge glass windows, while historical details include the 14th-century oak chapel screen, the hexagonal Georgian pulpit and the Victorian mausoleum.

At a glance

• Champing (Church Camping) at St Peter’s Church, Wolfhampcote, on Warwickshire-Northamptonshire border
• Exclusive use of secluded medieval church for 1-12 guests
• Up to two well-behaved dogs welcome
• Everything you need set up for your arrival and taken away afterwards
• Just bring your bedding, snacks and drinks
• Get away from it all in the Warwickshire countryside
• Days out include Daventry Country Park and the Althorp Estate
• Convenience store, two pubs and bus stop in historic Braunston (1 mile); Boat House pub-restaurant (0.7 miles); Long Buckby Station: 7 miles
• Daventry: 4 miles; Rugby: 8.1 miles

Features

• Dog Friendly
• Family Friendly
• Large Groups

More information

One of the most wonderful things about St Peter’s is the feeling of being miles away from the world, but if you need to touch base with civilisation, you’ll be pleased to know that the village of Braunston is just over a mile away. Home to the UK’s busiest stretch of canal (it lies at the junction of the Oxford and Grand Union canals!), you’ll find a well-stocked convenience shop, beautiful Braunston Marina and two pubs – including the excellent Old Plough Inn. Its superb location on the Warwickshire-Northamptonshire border also makes St Peter’s ideally placed for days out at Daventry Country Park (perfect for a picnic!) and the Althorp Estate, the final resting place of Princess Diana and well worth a visit for tours of the Spencer family home.

Champing not only gives you a break from modern life, it also gives you a break from cooking! You can’t cook inside the church or churchyard, but this gives you the perfect excuse for hearty meals at The Old Plough Inn or Boat House – a family-friendly pub and restaurant overlooking the canal, just a 4-minute drive from St Peter’s. You can even pre-order breakfast to enjoy on a barge! Take the 5-minute drive or 15-minute stroll to the Gongoozler’s Rest Café at Braunston and discover why this legendary breakfast spot is so popular.

Sadly, the time will come to leave St Peter’s, but it couldn’t be more hassle free. After your departure, the ChampBots will take everything away as if by magic. You don’t get that in a camping field!

Whether you’re young or young at heart, part of a group or traveling on your own, a spot of Champing should definitely be on your bucket list. So the next time you’re hankering to get away from it all, without leaving all your friends and family behind, don’t look further than St Peter’s at Wolfhampcote.

Things to note

Champing season runs March – September, no minimum stay requirement, Champers should bring their own bedding including pillows, sleeping bags, duvets and blankets, up to two (or three if they are small) dogs are welcome upon prior arrangement, children are welcome and encouraged to stay although they must be supervised and no ball games are permitted in the church yard, Champers are welcome to bring their own alcohol, and wine may be pre-ordered on booking. Champers have sole access to their church after 6pm and before 10am.

See the video below to find out how the Champing team transform an empty, serene church (St Thomas, Friarmere) into a cosy champ and back again, in the blink of an eye.