We want to breathe new life into our redundant Parish Church, by giving it a new purpose that respects its former role as a place of worship and open it once again the public. Our vision is that the Church will become a hostel for walkers and cyclists visiting the beautiful area of Swaledale in the Yorkshire Dales
An Historic Church Our Church of St Michael and All Angels is a listed building of national significance, with important architectural and heritage features. It is a late Victorian building constructed in 1885, but it replaced an earlier medieval church, believed to date from 1250
This may have replaced an even earlier building on this site as Hudswell is mentioned as a settlement in the Domesday Book completed in 1086. Several relics from the former church were preserved by building them into the walls of the current building, including various tomb slabs, dating to the 14th century
Our plan
The aim is to redevelop the building by converting it into a hostel that will provides 16 beds, a residents lounge/meeting room and kitchen. It will attract and welcome visitors who want to experience the beauty of Swaledale, whilst staying in an historic building. The building is in a quiet setting on the edge of the vibrant village of Hudswell, with its community owned shop and pub. We have planning and listed building consent for the conversion. All we need are the funds to convert it!!
Making the change
The aim is to redevelop the building by converting it into a hostel that will provides 16 beds, a residents lounge/meeting room and kitchen. It will attract and welcome visitors who want to experience the beauty of Swaledale, whilst staying in an historic building. The building is in a quiet setting on the edge of the vibrant village of Hudswell, with its community owned shop and pub. We have planning and listed building consent for the conversion. All we need are the funds to convert it!!
Take a deeper look
Perched high above the Swale Valley with views to the north to Beacon Hill, St Michaels boasts an impressive location. Not only did anywhereweroam.com say “If we had to pick the most beautiful part of the Yorkshire Dales National Park, it would be Swaledale” but it also sits in Hudswell, which was named the best village in Yorkshire and we want to make more accessible for more people to enjoy.
The hostel will provide a bunk bed in a two, three or four bedded room, all with their own bathrooms. There will be a residents lounge housed in the former chancel with its vaulted ceiling and stained glass windows and a kitchen in the former vestry.
See what Martin Booth has to say in the video.
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Get Involved
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