A Time to Keep Silence

A Time to Keep Silence (1953) is a travel book by British author Patrick Leigh Fermor.

It describes Fermor's sojourns in monasteries across Europe, and is praised by William Dalrymple as a "sublime masterpiece".

In 1952 Kemsley made Leigh Fermor's friend Ian Fleming its managing director.

At St Wandrille he initially experienced a strong sense of depression, restlessness, insomnia and loneliness but this 'miserable bridge-passage' cleared after a few days.

He grew to admire the scholarship and learning of the Benedictine Order there and benefited from the rhythm of the daily cycle.