Editor’s letter As the sun has proven somewhat unreliable this summer, let’s talk about the moon instead. Stonehenge is best known for its solar alignments, but was its design also influenced by a once-in-a-generation lunar phenomenon? This month’s cover feature discusses an ongoing project that is documenting the effects of a Major Lunar Standstill in real time. Three articles then spotlight a trio of very different site visits from June and July (we also have a News Focus drawing on a recent trip to Sutton Hoo; if you would like CA to come to your dig, do get in touch – have notebook, will travel!). We begin near Boden in Cornwall, where a long-running community excavation is uncovering the remains of an Iron Age fogou – an enigmatic form of underground passage – as well as unusual Romano-British remains nearby. Our next destination is Hadrian’s Wall, where we report on the final season of a four-year project that has been investigating the civilian settlement outside Birdoswald Roman fort. How has the story changed since our visit last year? Finally, we travel to Wessex Archaeology’s excavation on the site of Sheffield Castle, where they have uncovered impressive medieval fortifications, as well as traces of the Steel City’s influential industrial heritage. From the urban setting of the Sheffield finds, our next article discusses something more bucolic: orchards. A long-standing feature of historic landscapes, how have they evolved in England from the medieval period to the present day? Finally, we head to Anglesey in north Wales, to learn about the excavation of a Neolithic dolmen and the identification of a previously undocumented ceremonial landscape surrounding it. Contributors Orchards in England Chris Catling Chris is Secretary of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales (RCAHMW) and a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries. He has contributed to CA as a columnist and feature writer for over a decade. Illuminating Anglesey Dr George Nash George is an Associate Professor at the Geosciences Centre, IPT (u.ID73FCT); ITM (Earth and Memory Institute), Portugal; and a founder member of the Welsh Rock Art Organisation. Illuminating Anglesey Dr Mike Woods Mike specialises in Late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age ritualised landscapes. His PhD is from Manchester Metropolitan University, where he studied the Neolithic tombs on Anglesey, and he currently works for Heneb: The Welsh Archaeological Trust. Illuminating Anglesey Arwyn ‘Ash’ Owen Arwyn is a postgraduate student at Manchester Metropolitan University, where he is undertaking a PhD study of unrecorded archaeological features on Anglesey, using multi-modal methods of investigation, to be completed by 2027. FOLLOW US: @CurrentArchaeo currentarchaeologymag @current_archaeology WELCOME CURRENT Editorial Editor: Carly Hilts carly@currentpublishing.com Deputy editor: Dr Kathryn Krakowka On maternity leave Assistant editor: Rebecca Preedy rebecca.preedy@currentpublishing.com Editorial assistant: Amy Brunskill amy.brunskill@currentpublishing.com Contributing editor: Christopher Catling chris@archaeology.co.uk Contributing editor: Joe Flatman Art editor: Mark Edwards mark.edwards@currentpublishing.com Designer: Emma Morgan Subeditor: Simon Coppock Editor-in-chief: Andrew Selkirk andrew@archaeology.co.uk Tel: 020 8819 5584 Publisher: Maria Earle maria@currentpublishing.com Managing director: Robert Selkirk Commercial Commercial manager: Mike Traylen mike@currentpublishing.com Tel: 020 8819 5360 Marketing & digital manager: Emma Watts-Plumpkin emma@currentpublishing.com Tel: 020 8819 5575 Commercial director: Libby Selkirk Subscriptions Current Archaeology is published monthly for a subscription of £59.95 for 12 issues. Non-UK subscriptions are £83.95. Back issues: £6.95 each/£8.95 non-UK Binders/slip cases: (hold 12 copies) £15/£20 Subscriptions should be sent to: Current Publishing Of ce , 295 Chiswick High Road, London W4 4HH Tel: 020 8819 5580 (office hours) Subscription queries to: subs@archaeology.co.uk or online at: www.archaeology.co.uk Printed in the UK by William Gibbons Unauthorised reproduction in whole or part is prohibited without written permission. The publisher, editor and authors accept no responsibility in respect of any products, goods or services which may be advertised or referred to in this issue. Every effort has been made to secure permission for copyright material. In the event of any material being used inadvertently or where it has proved impossible to trace the copyright owner, acknowledgement will be made in a future issue. 180724190 I S SU E 414 3