Editor’s letter The spectacular scenery adorning this month’s cover features a Highland site known as ‘Calan’s Bothy’ – once home to an illicit whisky still. What has recent fieldwork revealed about this industry in 18th- and 19th-century Scotland? From stunning views to a royal loo, our next feature reveals how the discovery of an early medieval latrine at Bosham in West Sussex held the key to identifying an important power centre associated with Harold II. What can this location, and the wider project that explored it, add to our understanding of Anglo-Saxon ‘lordly centres’? We then travel to Crickley Hill in Gloucestershire, another site enjoying gorgeous surroundings and important archaeological remains, this time an Iron Age hillfort and enigmatic Neolithic monuments. Archaeological investigations explored these features for 25 years, and post-excavation analysis is still ongoing; we examine the latest revelations from this work. With apologies for cycling between scenery and sanitation, we next take a tour of innovative architecture prompted by a Victorian public health crisis. I would like to highlight that, with this article, Chris Catling has become our most prolific feature contributor, having written for every issue since his article about the archaeology of beavers in CA 210. By his reckoning, he has produced over 1.3 million words for CA – an amazing achievement, and hugely appreciated. And now for something completely different: we conclude with thoughtprovoking analysis of wear patterns preserved on many of the flint tools that have been excavated at Star Carr in North Yorkshire. What can these markings reveal about how the objects were used, and how Mesolithic communities organised their sites and structures? Contributors A monumental undertaking Steve Vaughan Steve is a Trustee of the Crickley Hill Archaeological Trust. He dug on the site from 1980 to 1993, and since 2019 has been helping to complete publication of the site and its archive in print and online. Distilling a clandestine craft 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 work on Scottish and East African archaeology. Distilling a clandestine craft 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). Mesolithic microwear Dr Jess Bates Jess is a Postdoctoral Research Associate in Archaeology, University of York. She specialises in Mesolithic structures, and has recently collaborated with Yorkshire Museum on their Life after the Ice exhibition on Star Carr. 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. 180225190 ISSUE 421 3