I arrived at the dig on the Saturday evening just as the groups were about to eat ...

... however a certain Essex resident had to let the side down!

A cake had been baked to celebrate Kay & Pauls birthdays (and Glen's - but he wasn't there!)

... and they even fell for the old trick candle routine.

Matt holds the centre of attention down the pub after the meal.

"Honest, they used to be this big"

On site on the Sunday morning work continued on the main offside chamber wall ...

... with blockwork shuttering to the top wing wall ...

... and to the lock wall.

Matt sets up the string line.

Dave Miller on the main wall.

Andi serves up muck

A view of the site

John Gale finally gets trained in bricklaying ...

... whilst Essex Girl fills the hollow concrete shuttering blocks with concrete.

Phil builds the twiddly bit

No bricklaying weekend happens without the hardworking mixing and barrowing team, we had both mixers going all weekend .

Morning tea was had at the workplace but the workers were made to stop for lunch.

The brick piles made for useful seating ...

... which wasn't good enough for Andi.

Helen & Sally pretend she's not with them!

The Essex lot left early which gave Sally an opportunity to learn how to mix it ...

... and Helen a chance to catch concrete blocks.

Nigel managed to complete his wall (How is it he always works on his own!)

The bricklayers look in pride at their wall ...

.. which they could, over the course of the weekend we laid 12 courses on the lock wall, (2,500 bricks), built blockwork shuttering walls to the chamber wall & top wing wall and put in the top stop plank base.