Our incredible new website for Scampton Church and RAF War Graves Heritage Centre has just been launched.

It is the culmination of many years work by volunteers at Scampton Church. Our new web site has two gateways. One to our Church activities and the other to the personal stories of those who lie in our 107 Commonwealth War and Service Graves. We are grateful to Flt Lt Gary Mennell from The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight for his permission to use his years of research into the personal stories of those who rest here.

The new website, designed by Monkie Graphic and Digital Design Solutions, will promote our Christian activities at Scampton Church in a modern, relevant and unstuffy way, and widen the scope of our educational project, opening accessibility to those schools and groups who are unable to attend the church and war graves site because of travelling costs or distance.

Heritage Open Days 2024 at Scampton Church 

Scampton Church took part in the 2024 National Heritage Open Days Event opening its doors and putting on activities to celebrate the heritage of the building and it’s RAF connections.

The week ran from the 7th to the 14th September and included an ‘Allies in the Air’ exhibition which explored stories of allied airmen who travelled from around the world to serve in the Royal Flying Corps in Lincolnshire during the First World War, and how one in fourteen of all British World War 1 aircraft were built by women in Lincoln.

Also running were a children’s ‘Fallen Friend’ workshop, which helped children learn about airmen, who came from all over the Commonwealth and are buried in our war graves. A war graves tour for adults was also well attended and run by our Battle of Britain Memorial Flight historian.

Photo from the Sanctuary Awards ceremony – From left to right:
Flt Lt Gary Mennell (Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Display Wing)
Barbara Young (Church Warden – Scampton Church & RAF War Graves Heritage Centre)
Anna Hartley (Learning Manager – Heritage Lincolnshire)
Group Captain Neill Atkins (No 2 Group Safety and Assurance & former OC RAF Scampton)

Scampton Church & RAF War Graves Heritage Centre wins two awards!

Scampton Church & RAF War Graves Heritage Centre scoop awards for ‘Keeping Their Stories Alive’ at coveted Ministry of Defence Sanctuary Award Ceremony held at The Historic Dockyard Portsmouth on 19th March 2024.

The Sanctuary Awards have been recognising outstanding heritage, sustainability and conservation efforts across the MOD estate in the UK and worldwide since 1991. The Awards celebrate and encourage group and individual efforts that benefit heritage conservation, sustainable development; environmental utilities and resource saving measures; sustainable construction and procurement; or community engagement.

THE PROJECT
Adopting the motto ‘Keeping Their Stories Alive’, the journey towards creating a unique place of remembrance, history and heritage for RAF Scampton began.
The project took a major leap forward when grants from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and FCC Communities Fund were awarded to make the church more suited to the modern visitor.
Once a welcoming and comfortable environment had been created, the team worked with RAF Scampton, Heritage Lincolnshire, West Lindsay District Council and The Commonwealth War Graves Commission, to maintain this often forgotten rich vein of RAF Heritage.
Building on 20 years of research by Flt Lt Gary Mennell from The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Display Wing, the stories of all 107 servicemen buried at Scampton were recreated and digitalised on touch screens. Lesson plans and resources were created and primary schools invited to take part in interactive lessons. Recognising that issues surrounding war and death can be frightening to young children, it was decided that each of the stories should be told in the first person, with the children’s allocated ‘fallen friend’ explaining their background, what they did in the RAF and what ultimately happened to them.
Scampton is now a thriving centre of remembrance, one which tells the stories of those who died from generations ago in a way which is relatable to those who will carry those stories forward for generations to come.

SCAMPTONS’ AWARDS
As well as securing 2nd place in the heritage category, Scampton Church and RAF War Graves Heritage Centre won the coveted innovation award given to those who have who have exemplified innovative behaviours by championing the adoption of new ideas, innovative ways of working and continuous improvement.

JUDGES’ COMMENTS:
‘We were really impressed by the nature of the project which manages to support the historical nature of the site at Scampton, ensuring the rich history is shared widely. What has been achieved is a class leading venue delivered through collaboration, innovative thought and community spirit.’

Support for the project is welcome – click here to visit Scampton Church’s Just Giving page

Click here to watch a short video shown at the award ceremony

Click here to read the Sanctuary Magazine Article

Scampton Community & RAF War Graves Heritage Centre

The reordering of Scampton Church is on schedule to create the Scampton Community & RAF War Graves Heritage Centre.

Work started on the 1st August to excavate a sewage and water services trench and create the all access lit path.

An archaeological monitoring exercise (watching brief) was conducted by Network Archaeology.

The watching brief recorded a total of three articulated skeletons and large quantities of disarticulated human bone. All the recovered remains were respectfully reburied within the churchyard.

A possible early graveyard boundary was recorded on the same alignment as the eastern wall of the church, constructed from reused fragmented limestone. Several 18th century gravestones were uncovered.

Church closes for work on the Scampton Community & RAF War Graves Heritage Centre

Diary of events

Thursday 2nd June
09.00 – The Platinum Jubilee standard is raised in the churchyard.
12.00 – Peal of bells and national anthem played from church tower to coincide with trooping the colour gun salute – Green Park Piccadilly.
21.45 – A song for the Commonwealth is played from church tower to coincide with the lighting of the beacons as the ‘song for the Commonwealth’ is sung by choirs across the Commonwealth

Friday 3rd June
11.30 – Peal of bells and ‘Rise up and Serve’ (Jubilee song) is played from the church tower to coincide with the start of the Queen’s thanksgiving service at St Pauls Cathedral. (The song has been commissioned by HOPE Together and written by contemporary hymn writers Graham Kendrick, Mal Pope and Rend Collective for choirs to sing as part of the celebrations.)

Saturday 4th June
1400 – ‘Rise up and serve’ (Jubilee song) followed by a peal of bells and the national anthem is played to mark the opening of the village fete and family picnic.
16.30 – ‘Rise up and serve (Jubilee song) followed by a peal of bells and the national anthem is played to mark the close of the fete and picnic

Sunday 5th June
10.00 – ‘Rise up and serve’ (Jubilee song) followed by a peal of bells and the national anthem is played from the church tower
10.15 – Platinum Jubilee Thanksgiving Family Service with presentation of souvenir Our Faithful Queen Prayer Books’
11.15 – Platinum Jubilee tree planting ceremony in the churchyard.
11.30 – National anthem is played.
20.00 – Lowering of the Platinum Jubilee standard and ‘sunset’ & national anthem played.

Remembering Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

At this sad time, we remember an extraordinary person, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, whom most of us have known of throughout our lives. Not only was she our Queen, our sovereign, she was also someone who believed that leadership meant dedicating her life to the service of others.

In 1947, when she turned 21, Princess Elizabeth gave a coming-of-age speech to the Commonwealth. Like almost everything she said and did in a life of 96 years, it was a personal statement of public duty

“I declare before you all that my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service … God help me to make good my vow, and God bless all of you who are willing to share in it.”

For the past 75 years she has consistently carried out that promise, for which we at Scampton Church are truly grateful.

Today King Charles III said:

“That lifelong promise I renew to you today…Her values remain and must remain….let us all draw strength from her example… may flights of angels sing thee to thy rest”

God save The King.
Local Minister Sue Deacon

Scampton Community & RAF War Graves Heritage Centre

Scampton Church Community Partnership is awarded substantial grants by The National Lottery Heritage Fund & The FCC Communities Foundation to create the Scampton Community & RAF War Graves Heritage Centre.

Scampton Church has received a grant of £150,923 from The National Lottery Heritage Fund and an FCC Communities Foundation grant of £99,090, for an exciting heritage and community project to create the Scampton Community & RAF War Graves Heritage Centre in Scampton village. The project is costing £343,000 and is made possible by money raised by National Lottery players, the Landfill Communities Fund and also by public donations.

Working in partnership with RAF Scampton, The Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC), local schools, Scampton Parish Council, Springline Good Neighbours Scheme and The Dambusters Inn, the project aims to create a vibrant and welcoming venue that will benefit the whole community. This includes local schools and other organisations which cater for the young and old in the area.

The grants will enable the installation of a new lit path, all access wc, welcome and refreshment area, and central heating.

West Lindsey Churches Festival

During the weekend of 14th – 15th May West Lindsey are holding their very successful Churches Festival again.

Scampton Church will be displaying their Bastions of the Air exhibition, which runs through until the 28th May.

We will be selling Coffee and Cakes to the visitors. We would appreciate any help that anyone can provide. We will be open between 10.00am and 4.00pm on Saturday and between 11.00am and 4.00pm on Sunday.

617 Squadron Commemorative Window Update

Scampton church has always been the church of RAF Scampton and as such we feel it is so important to maintain the RAF Scampton heritage here.

The proposed 617 Squadron Commemorative Window is another Claire Williamson Glass commission. It will create a ‘sister’ window to the RAF Scampton Commemorative Stained Glass Window in the nave at Scampton Church.

The project is being spearheaded by RAF Scampton Heritage Centre, with the aim of recognising the formation of 617 Squadron at RAF Scampton on 21st March 1943, and have the window installed by the Squadron’s 80th anniversary in 2023.

Several substantial pledges towards to cost of the window have already been made and the final conceptual design is being drawn up by Claire.