Unlocking the Cage at Churston Library
Visit Churston Library to experience the new augmented reality installation, bringing to life the captivating stories of female writers whose work lies in 'the cage'. The installation is free, and available from 30th October - 17th November. No booking is required. Just drop in during Churston Library opening times, and ask library staff for information.
Exeter Library’s special collections lie below the library floor in what is known as 'the cage”. Out of 800 books in the collection, only 8 are written by women. Unlocking the Cage is an immersive visual and audio journey through the lives and works of four of these women, whose books reside within the 'cage'.
Unlocking the Cage can be enjoyed alone, or in groups of up to 4 people at a time and takes approximately 28 minutes to complete. Anyone can come along and discover the story behind these incredible writers for free. Just visit Churston Library and take a seat at the installation. You are in control of your own experience, turning the pages of the book to navigate your journey.
The stories of these trailblazing writers are highlighted in the experience, and selected works will be on display.
- Elizabeth Montagu (1718 – 1800) - critic and host to literary salons
- Elizabeth Carter (1717 – 1806) - poet and translator
- Lady Rosalind Northcote (1873 – 1950) - nature and place writer
- Ethel Lega-Weekes (1864 – 1949) - historian
Unlocking the Cage features Kim Sherwood's narration, Sarita McNeil's beautiful illustrations and original music composed by John Matthias and Jay Auborn. Creative audio company dBs Pro and the augmented reality developer Zubr Curio have turned these creative elements into an innovative augmented reality experience which is not to be missed.
Unlocking the Cage has been researched, written and narrated by award-winning author Kim Sherwood. Kim, shortlisted for the Sunday Times Young Writer of the Year Award 2019, is known for her debut novel Testament, and has been selected to expand upon the 007 universe as the first woman to write a James Bond novel with the first book in her upcoming trilogy published in September 2022.
You can read Kim's full essay here as an eBook.
Read more about the project here.
