Well, the drill wasn't as exciting as I thought it would be. Highlights: it makes lots of noise; I had the first-time experience of buying rawplugs (number 8 drill bit, y'know) and at first scared the bejesus out of myself by being convinced that I was going to drill into an electrical cable*, or just stright through the wall to the the outside world.

Turns out I needn't have bothered -my wall is crumbling so much that I could have made these holes with the handle of a teaspoon. Back to the drawing board as I work out how to proceed complete with pieces of wood, glue and plaster? ....

* Even though I was drilling the window lintel and have it on good authority that there will be no electricty cables