Have you heard the real-life story of the woman who lived in a hut on stilts on Ventnor beach for almost 40 years?

Olivia Parkes was an eccentric character who was eventually forcibly removed from her wooden home, in her old age. 

Now, an immersive installation tells the story of her unusual life, living as a recluse in a dilapidated boat shed.

Scroll down to watch a video interview with the creators

Scroll through our photos above

The Olivia Parkes exhibition was enjoyed by visitors to Ventnor Fringe and is going to be showcased at Quay Arts, in the Clayden Gallery from September 9 to October 7.

After that, you will find it at Ventnor Heritage Centre.

Using animated micro vignettes within a replica wooden model boathouse, it is accompanied by audio recordings of Ventnorians who remember her.

Olivia’s life raises many questions about how unconventional people are treated within society.

The scene captures the details of her daily existence, intriguingly opening a window on the spirit of a woman who dared to live differently

Memories of Olivia (1881 to 1962) were captured by locals who remember her, or people who recall family members talking about her.

A black and white photo of her was used as inspiration for the project too.

The project was brought to life by artists Teresa Grimaldi and Sarah Vardy, and the wider community via workshops held at the Better Days Cafe and St Catherine's School.

Running alongside the exhibition was a zine, a small printed book that told the story of Olivia's life and the project.

The project was funded by Arts Council England.

Olivia lived in her dilapidated wooden boat shed on stilts, at Myrtle Bay in Ventnor, a remote part of the shoreline battered by the elements.

Although determined to live on her own terms, people considered her strange for living without running water, sanitation, or electricity, isolated from society.

She was known as The Old Lady of the Sea, or Britannia.

She was often treated as an outcast and hounded by some of society. Children threw stones onto the hut, from the cliff.

At one point she was imprisoned for a month, for refusing to leave her unusual home during wartime.

The hut became so uninhabitable, Olivia erected a tent inside to sleep in, away from the drafts that swept through the holes in the walls.  

She was eventually forcibly evicted by the council in 1958, and rehoused in the town centre.

She died in 1962 and is buried in Ventnor Cemetery.