Robyn Cadwallader uses language to make medieval walls sing

Her novels are set far from Murrumbateman, in medieval England. However, after visiting the sites where her novels are set, she sits at her desk, peers out through the windows to her abundant garden, and imagines the worlds and stories of her characters inside her head.

Cadwallader always wanted to write, and was encouraged by her high school teachers, especially Malcolm Moore, to whom her latest novel, The Fire and the Rose, is dedicated. She studied English and medieval literature at university, and says if there had been creative writing courses back then, she would have enrolled in a flash. Instead, she completed a PhD in medieval stories of the virgin and the dragon, focusing on virginity and female agency.

Using her medieval studies as a springboard, Cadwallader wrote her first novel, The Anchoress, which was published in 2015 to great acclaim. Her second novel, Book of Colours, won the ACT Book of the Year Award and was shortlisted for the Voss Literary Prize.

Her new novel is also set in the Middle Ages. It was inspired by the story of the expulsion of the Jews from England in 1290. She says she was appalled that a group of people, who had been active members of the English community for more than 200 years, could be forced to leave. Through further investigation, she discovered the oppression, prejudice and violence perpetrated against the Jews, and resolved to draw attention to this little-known story and period of history.

The Fire and the Rose tells the story of Eleanor, a young woman who has recently moved to Lincoln and longs to use her skills to work as a scribe. Back then, it was generally only nuns or women of the upper classes who had access to words and learning. Eleanor is aware of the limitations of her sex, but her great passion makes her determined to find work. She meets and falls in love with Asher, a Jewish spicer who shares her love of words. Through him, she is drawn into the life of the local Jewish community: their joys and generosity, as well as their suffering.

Setting a novel in the Middle Ages requires much research, and this is where Cadwallader's work began. Though extensive reading of academic articles and books, she learned about the culture of the time, as well as important historical events. This provided the foundation for her novel, but also revealed the gaps into which she could unleash her imagination to create the stories of her characters.

She always visits the places where her novels are set - it's essential to bring her stories to life. Not only does she experience the local topography, weather and atmosphere, but she also visits archives, museums and libraries to further her research.

Lincoln has, of course, grown and changed since the Middle Ages. However much of the medieval city remains. The castle and cathedral still look down towards the river from the top of the very steep hill. Many streets are still paved with stone, a legacy of Roman times. And many stone houses remain, some dating from the Middle Ages.

The remains of Lincoln's extensive walls are still evident. Cadwallader says it felt "like a city of stone". Quarried from limestone from the surrounding landscape, the walls surround the old city, providing both protection and barrier. It occurred to her that the walls had also stood as witness to the life, joys and horrors of the city.

In her novel, she uses the walls as a Greek chorus that cries out at the oppression of the Jews. The voice of the walls is represented as poems interlaced among the narrative. Inspired by the writing of Jewish philosopher Emmanuel Levinas, the walls reflect on the importance of recognising and appreciating the "other" in our society.

"One of the great values of historical fiction," Cadwallader says, "is that it tells us, not only about the past, but also helps to shed a light on the present." This story will touch the hearts and minds of readers as they learn about past horrors of religious and cultural prejudice.

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