Editor’s letter Children often leave only faint traces in the archaeological record, so it is always exciting to be able to piece together their experiences in the past. Our cover feature visits Sutton House in Hackney, once a 17th-century girls’ school, where delicate scraps of paper have offered unique insights into the imaginations of one group of young women. Turning from educational ephemera to the complexities of prehistoric funerary practices, we next travel to Bodicote in Oxfordshire, home to an Iron Age farmstead, including ten pit burials with unexpected attributes. From treatment of the dead to the ‘water of life’, we then turn the spotlight on Speyside, one of five recognised whisky-producing regions in Scotland, where archaeologists have been uncovering one of the area’s earliest legal distilleries. The buildings in our next feature have a rather more sacred flavour: Norfolk’s almost 650 surviving medieval churches, which often incorporate Roman remains into their masonry. What can be learned about their development? Much smaller constructions come next: a trio of Bronze Age-style log-boats built during an experimental archaeology project at Stanwick Lakes in Northamptonshire. CA went to watch the craft take to the water for the first time, and to learn about the country park’s archaeological legacy and ongoing heritage programme. Speaking of experimental archaeology, you might call Edmund Artis an early pioneer, as he built a replica Roman kiln to test his theories in the 19th century. Our final feature recounts his eventful life and lasting influence – and, given CA’s enthusiasm for ‘edible archaeology’, I am delighted that it all began with a cake shaped like a castle. Contributors News Rebecca Preedy Rebecca is Acting Assistant Editor at CA, and graduated in 2022 with an MA in Ancient Visual and Material Culture of Rome from Warwick University. She has experience from several UK museums and heritage sites. Pioneering spirit Dr Daniel Rhodes Daniel is Senior Archaeologist at the National Trust for Scotland. He is also a Senior Research Fellow at the University of Stirling, and has published works on Scottish and East African archaeology. Pioneering spirit Derek Alexander Derek is Head of Archaeology for the National Trust for Scotland and has worked for the charity since 2000. His previous articles for CA include the Pictish cemetery at Redcastle (CA 166) and excavations in Glencoe (CA 378). Antiquarian or archaeologist? Professor Stephen Upex Stephen is a member of the Nene Valley Archaeological Trust and has been researching the life of Edmund Artis for more than 30 years. He is a Tutor at the Institute of Continuing Education at the University of Cambridge. 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 Office 120, 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. 170924190 I S SU E 416 3