Make your escape with the sound of silence

THE noise of our pre-pandemic lives has returned with a bang, but if you miss the sound of silence that came with lockdowns, English Heritage is offering a solution.

With the help of actor and mental health campaigner Stephen Fry, an ‘hour of contemplation’ has been introduced each day across 16 of its monasteries in England to encourage visitors to experience them as they were intended when first built.

They include the most important centre of early Christianity, Lindisfarne Priory in Northumberland, the 14th Century Mount Grace Priory in North Yorkshire, Battle Abbey in East Sussex – founded by William the Conqueror following the Battle of Hastings – and Cleeve Abbey in Somerset.

Fry has recorded an audio introduction for those seeking peace and solace, which includes a reading from Saint Aelred, the 12th Century abbot of Rievaulx Abbey in York, in which he describes the joy emanating from a monastic existence when the shackles of everyday life have been cast off.

His words will resonate with those who felt that lockdown gave them a unique chance to step back from hectic routines: ‘Everywhere peace, everywhere serenity and a marvellous freedom from the tumult of the world.’

Dr Michael Carter, the senior properties historian at English Heritage, says: ‘In a modern world, where people are constantly rushing and expected to be at the end of a phone 24/7, we often find silence disconcerting.

‘It’s important sometimes to take a step back and focus on appreciating the peace and tranquillity that is unique to these historic buildings – monuments to the human spirit and the divine and our ongoing quest for inner peace and fulfilment.’

He adds: ‘With many people having experienced a difficult past 18 months, we’re inviting visitors to escape from their cares for a short time using the quiet, the sound of birdsong, the rustle of the wind in the trees, to contemplate and free their minds and spirits of the busy, noisy, demanding distractions of contemporary life.’