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Please be seated
Bamburgh stonemason Kevin Lawson with the carved throne.
A NORTH Northumberland landmark will appear on national television this weekend and a large throne is one of the stars of the show.
Channel 4’s Time Team, which airs at 5.30pm on Sunday, joined the Bamburgh Research Project at Bamburgh Castle to produce a reproduction of an Anglo-Saxon stone chair.
The reconstruction is based on a carved stone fragment that was found in the grounds in the 19th century, which is on display in the castle. This fragment is thought to date from around 800 AD.
Jo Kirton, studying for a PhD based on Anglo-Saxon stone sculpture, researched likely decoration and composed a design for the chair.
Kevin Lawson, the stonemason at Bamburgh Castle, was one of the people who worked on constructing the chair during the four days Time Team spent filming last summer.
Kevin said: “I roped in a local sculptor, Michelle de Bruin, and it was just an opportunity to work with her. All the other people I met along the way were very interesting and it has reignited my passion for sculpting.”
The 37-year-old was also pleased to be able to indulge his more creative side as his work at the castle focuses on conservation.
“It’s going to become an artefact in itself and I have no doubt someone like me will be looking after it in the future,” he said. “I mainly do conservation work so to do something yourself is quite exciting because you are leaving your mark on history.”
Kevin’s main goal now is to complete what he started and let the public enjoy it in all its glory.
“Hopefully I will get back and finish it and get Michelle back to do it. The sooner we can let people sit on it and play with it the better. I was really adamant it should be out on display and something people can sit on and children can play on.
“I would take it down to the yard today if I could but it’s up to the boss.”
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Weather for Northumberland
Thursday 24 May 2012
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blellum
Thursday, April 21, 2011 at 11:48 PMMichelle de Bruin was the actual carver on this project, you can see her personal work in the Sculpt It exhibition at the Gymnasium Gallery in Berwick, and see it online at www.artist.org.uk.
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