An elegant biography of Long Crichel, a house in a secluded village in rural Dorset which, during the second half of the twentieth century, became a hub of creativity and social activity for its denizens and their guests.
Volumes have been written about Patrick Leigh Fermor, yet his wife Joan remains largely overlooked. Simon Fenwick, the archivist of the Leigh Fermor papers, now brings Joan's story to light. A talented photographer, Joan defied social conventions, coming from a wealthy family yet earning her own living. Through her relationship with Alan Pryce-Jones, the editor of the TLS, she mingled with prominent figures of 1930s bohemia, including John Betjeman, Cyril Connolly, and Evelyn Waugh. Her adventurous spirit led her to travel extensively, and she frequently appeared in gossip columns for her affairs and fashionable attire. In 1936, she married journalist John Rayner, but their differing views on marriage led to a troubled relationship. In 1944, while working as a cypher clerk in Cairo, she met Paddy Leigh Fermor, celebrated for his daring exploits during WWII. Their partnership lasted until her death in 2003. This biography, based on Joan's personal archive, reveals her extraordinary life, placing her at the center of her own narrative. It also offers a vivid portrait of their marriage and the cultural milieu of a wartime generation that embraced life fully, regardless of the consequences.