About Us
St Botolph’s is a small, welcoming church community made up of people from Aspley Guise and the surrounding area. We gather to share and live out our Christian faith, and we are pleased to welcome anyone who would like to visit, worship with us or find out more.
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Our main service takes place every Sunday morning, alongside a range of special services and community events throughout the year. All are open to the public.
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We are united by our care for the church building and its place in village life and we are determined to keep the church alive and active for future generations.
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For nearly 800 years, St Botolph’s has stood at the heart of Aspley Guise. If its walls could speak, they would tell stories of worship, family life and village milestones — from baptisms and weddings to remembrance, reflection and farewell.
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Many visitors value the stillness of the church and the chance to sit quietly, reflect and find peace.
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St Botolph’s belongs to the whole parish. The Parochial Church Coucil acts as trustee, caring for the building on behalf of the community. Its primary purpose is worship, but it is also a beautiful and historic place for everyone to enjoy and share.
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In recent years, we have adapted our activities to work within our limited resources. We have been encouraged by the support of residents who have helped with events such as the Community Café and flower-arranging workshops, contributed to fundraising for the tower restoration, and joined in the clear-up once the work was complete. At the heart of our activities is a shared wish to give to the village - and to enjoy ourselves! We are keen to build on this village response and to find new ways of engaging with and serving the wider community.
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We would like to hear from residents about how St Botolph’s might achieve this. How could the church building be used more fully for the benefit of our community?
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To find out more about our services, church history and what happens at St Botolph’s, please visit our church website. If you would like to talk to someone and find out more about us, please contact the Church Warden on churchwarden@armitage.uk.com
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Our Story
THE SUSTAINABILITY REVIEW TEAM; WHY AND HOW DID THE TEAM GET STARTED
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We came together through a shared concern for the future of St Botolph’s Church. At first, our aim was to help raise funds for the church tower restoration. But when Martin and Richard joined the conversation, they encouraged us to look beyond fundraising and think about the longer-term sustainability of the church’s presence in the village.
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Like many rural churches, St Botolph’s has seen regular attendance fall significantly over the past 25 years. Those who continue to support the church are also getting older. As a result, it is becoming harder to manage the building, grounds and community activities in the way we once did.
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In spring 2025, after discussions with St Botolph’s Parochial Church Council, we offered to help explore a more sustainable operating model that could protect the church buildings for future generations.
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Richard and Martin used their management consultancy experience to review the options available to St Botolph’s. The Parochial Church Council has now asked us to explore how the church and Community Link Room might be used differently to meet local needs.
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Sue Macmillan has recently joined the team, so we are now five villagers working together on this next stage. We are excited about what might be possible, and we hope you will be too.
Meet The Team
Church Warden, I am a local resident and have been a member of St Botolph’s Church for over 40 years. I have served as Churchwarden for more than 12 years. I want to see St Botolph’s continue to serve the village as a focal point for Christian ministry, community life and local heritage for years to come.
Strategy Adviser I have always seen St Botolphs as central to the attraction of Aspley Guise. I am not a church goer, have lived in the village for over 30 years and taken part in many village events. Now retired, I was pleased when asked by the PCC to use my planning experience and project management skills to support their work of ensuring the long term sustainability of the church. My wife too has been a long time supporter of StBs.
Liz Armitage
Martin Grantley-Smith
Cafe Team Leader I have been resident in the village since 2020 and joined the church soon afterwards. I have seen the impact of our Friday Cafe bringing people together from the wider village community. I see a huge opportunity to explore and establish more community wide uses of the church, and to future proof this beautiful building for future generations of Aspley Guise.
Liz Curtis