Being one of the 16 ancient cathedrals of England which trace their origins to the Anglo Saxons, it is not surprising that Exeter Cathedral has a wealth of artefacts that have been stored in their archives and libraries for many years.
One of the most valued items is a book of Anglo-Saxon poetry called The Exeter Book, which dates back to circa 970 – older than the Cathedral itself! It contains over 100 poems, from wistful travellers’ tales to quick-witted riddles.
At over 1,000 years old, The Exeter Book is in remarkable condition and is recognised by UNESCO for its significance to literary and cultural heritage.
Alongside the book, an extraordinary survey of England from 1086, called the Exon Domesday was also preserved in the archives. This was later edited and copied into the final Great Domesday Book.
Creating a Secure Exhibition Space
With funding from the Lottery and Friends of Exeter Cathedral, a new development project to convert one area of the Cathedral from an educational space to a dedicated exhibition room for the books, was planned for opening in summer 2025.
The exhibition area was required to have low lighting and specialist temperature and moisture controls to preserve such ancient artefacts. However, to display such treasures, insurers also specified high security measures for the protection of the room.
This proved to be a challenge as the timeworn stonework of the building needed to be preserved, whilst still securing a steel framework in place for physical security measures.
Specialists in Heritage Security Solutions
As specialists in heritage and museum applications, Charter Global were asked to supply and install security shutters to the openings of the room.
They specified two
Obexion UD C5 (SR3) security shutters, hence meeting the
Loss Prevention Certification Board’s LPS 1175 Issue 8 C5 (SR3) Category. All Obexion products have Secured by Design Police Preferred Specification accreditation too.
The Obexion UD C5 (SR3) Shutter protects facilities facing medium to high risks from deliberate forced entry using bodily force and can defeat intruders using a wide selection of tools, such as crowbars, axes, and drills.
LockDown Technology: Integrated Protection Without Auxiliary Locks
Its unique LockDown technology is an integrated feature that removes the need for any auxiliary locking system, meaning this security roller shutter is certified for installation either externally or internally and ensures the C5 security shutter is never left in an insecure position through an incomplete locking procedure.
Discreet Protection Through Integrated Design
The shutters are operated by individually controlled keypads with each member of staff having a unique access code to ensure traceability.
Both Obexion shutters have a black powder coat finish to blend seamlessly with the black walls and ceiling of the room and with hidden profiles and hood boxes built into the ceiling voids the security is virtually hidden during exhibition opening hours but gives stylish protection when closed.
