Another good week of achievement by the volunteer group, attacking the messier parts of the site and undertaking the usual impressive array of different arts and crafts activities – wood carving, mural painting, mosaic laying etc. Richard also won the speed painting award for completing the foliate border underneath panel 2 of the Saxon mural in just over an hour. As you will no doubt recognise, it is copied from a border in Bede’s Life of St Cuthbert that was made in southern England around 930 AD. Panel 2 (Alfred’s Coronation) is the first of the 8 panels to be completed. Note his brother Æthelred departing heavenwards stage left, the last of the four Dead Æthels (surely a heavy metal group) who predeceased their brother Alfred.