£4million to uncover Northumberland's Roman past
After considering applications seeking four times the amount of money available, the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) Board has awarded a grant of £4million* to the Vindolanda Trust's ambitious project to transform its presentation of the central section of Hadrian's Wall in Northumberland.

Dr Keith Bartlett, Head of the Heritage Lottery Fund for the North East region, said:

"Vindolanda is one of the most fascinating and exciting sites in the history of the Roman world, shedding light upon the everyday lives of those who lived and worked there. The Heritage Lottery Fund's support will enable the Vindolanda Trust to open up this unique site to many more visitors and so further enhance tourism in the North East."

The Vindolanda and Roman Army Museums contain some of the most important collections of 'real life' from the Roman world. They are situated on the extensive remains of two Roman forts and civilian settlements, on Hadrian's Wall, England's largest World Heritage Site.

HLF's £4million grant to the Trust will transform the site. The two forts will be better linked and new galleries and an education centre will inspire the next generation of young archaeologists. A significant element of Vindolanda's collection currently hidden in storage will be able to be shown for the first time.

Dan Snow, historian and broadcaster, said:

"The Vindolanda Trust's passion for archaeology is truly infectious. I was up there this summer and saw the excitement with which staff and a huge number of volunteers carried out the excavations and interpretation for visitors. I can personally endorse the really important work they do. News of the Heritage Lottery Fund's huge support for this project is just brilliant.

"Vindolanda is one of the most important Roman sites in the world. Discoveries being made there are scrutinised as avidly in Syria and Libya as they are in Northern England. Yet the first thing the visitor notices there are the vast unexcavated spaces in and around the fort. What further treasures will the ground yield? We can be absolutely certain that the story of Vindolanda is not nearly complete."

Patricia Birley, Director of the Vindolanda Trust, added:

"The Heritage Lottery Fund grant is an immense boost for the work of The Vindolanda Charitable Trust and it will also enhance the central sector of the Hadrian's Wall World Heritage Site.

This exciting project will vastly improve the resources and opportunities that our Vindolanda & Roman Army Museum sites are able to offer to our visitors, education groups and archaeological volunteers and will facilitate a return to Vindolanda of some of our famous writing tablets by way of a loan from the British Museum.

"The Vindolanda Trust is extremely grateful to HLF for their support for this project which is so important for the preservation, access and sustainable future of this exceptional northern frontier Roman site."

Some of the most interesting artefacts to emerge from the sites are the Vindolanda Tablets - ancient 'postcards' written by Roman soldiers to family and friends back home. The collection also contains a famous birthday party invitation written by a commander's wife and another reveals that Roman soldiers wore underpants to keep warm in the Northern winter. These are currently held at the British Museum but the project will enable selected tablets to be returned and displayed where they were written.

This award comes as people's interest in the history of Hadrian's Wall has been stimulated following the success of the British Museum's blockbuster Hadrian: Empire and Conflict exhibition.

The application has been supported by Hadrian's Wall Heritage Ltd, a not-for-profit company which co-ordinates protection, development and promotion of the Hadrian's Wall World Heritage Site. The Vindolanda Trust was created to support the Birley family's passion for the North East's archaeological heritage; this is a legacy they have passed down from generation to generation.

-Ends-

• * A 'Stage One Pass' means that money has been earmarked by HLF for the project in question. Competition at this stage is tough, and while a Stage One Pass does not guarantee funding, it is an indication of positive support, and money for the scheme is set aside. The applicant can then progress to Stage Two and submit a further, fully developed application to secure the full grant. On occasion, at Stage One, funding will also be awarded towards the development of the scheme.
• Images and interviews to support Vindolanda are available on request.
• Using money raised through the National Lottery, the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) sustains and transforms a wide range of heritage for present and future generations to take part in, learn from and enjoy. From museums, parks and historic places to archaeology, natural environment and cultural traditions, we invest in every part of our diverse heritage. HLF has supported more than 26,000 projects, allocating over £4billion across the UK. In the North East it has invested £183million, to almost 1,600 projects.
  Website: www.hlf.org.uk

• For the Heritage Lottery Fund, please contact Katie Owen or Dervish Mertcan, HLF Press Office on tel: 020 7591 6036/6102 or out of office mobile: 07973 613820.
• For the Vindolanda Trust, please contact Patricia Birley, Director of the Vindolanda Trust, on tel: 01434 344277.

Vindolanda Trust Heritage Access and Interpretation Project
(Subject to successful external grant aid)

Project Outline Brief
The Vindolanda Trust owns two Roman sites in the central sector of the Hadrian's Wall World Heritage Site and has of one of the most important site-specific museum collections from the Roman World. The results of research have illustrated the need to remove barriers and provide improved physical and intellectual access to this resource in three key areas.

1) Archaeo-Education Centre
The Vindolanda Trust is unable to further develop its lifelong learning programmes and fully increase the educational access to its resources without the provision of a designated learning space. An education and learning development has been identified that will create inclusive and high quality provision.

It will:

• Extend and develop an existing building at Vindolanda to provide a designated learning base for lifelong learning opportunities, including a flexible learning space that can be used as a conference/lecture room, space to run archaeological workshops and work with school groups. In addition to this a small accommodation development will be included on the upper floor incorporating study bedrooms, a communal area and kitchen facility.
• Provide a small on-site low cost accommodation provision to allow low income volunteers to access Vindolanda opportunities.
• Allow volunteers who wish to support the work of the Trust but are physically unable to participate in fieldwork, to become involved through post-excavation opportunities.
• Create a new education post to enhance current provision and link the sites to encourage the widest possible use of the facilities.
• Use this new space for a new and comprehensive range of education and volunteer activities to increase access to the sites and collection.

2) Vindolanda Museum and Access Improvements
Keys areas have been identified throughout the Vindolanda site and museum for improvement to physical and intellectual access. Improving interpretation of the collection and sites for the widest possible range of users. To provide:

• A new visitor gallery for the display of heavy artefacts that are currently in storage (sculptured stone & wooden building timbers) on a ground floor area in the museum.
• Incorporate a new pottery display to release existing museum space to accommodate a new and improved writing tablet display.
• Integrate viewing areas to offer a view of 'behind the scenes' post excavation/conservation activity.
• Improve site interpretation by way of extended graphics and introduce audio provision.
• Improve the steep fort to museum path and establish an integrated physical access system.
• Improve site interpretation to enable all users to more fully understand and appreciate the heritage resource.
• Create new gallery space on the ground floor of the museum to display heavy artefacts from the collection, further increasing access to the collection to the widest possible audience.
• Link the archaeological resources at Vindolanda and The Roman Army Museum.

3) Roman Army Museum Gallery and Access Improvements
Areas have been identified throughout the Roman Army Museum for improvement to physical and intellectual access. Improving interpretation of the collection and sites for the widest possible range of users. To incorporate:

• The re-design of a large gallery at The Roman Army Museum to provide further gallery space for artefacts from the Vindolanda reserve collection.
• Ensure that the existing audio-visual programme is compatible with the new gallery space.
• Improve the uneven car park and visitor path and establish an integrated physical access system.
• Improve interpretation of the collection for the widest possible range of users.
• Extend displays of the Vindolanda reserve collections and expand information about the wider Roman context that links both sites.
• Combine this new exhibition with an extension of an existing, successful audio-visual programme to provide orientation and compatibility.
• Linking the archaeological resources at Vindolanda and The Roman Army Museum.
• Improve the interpretation to enable all users to more fully understand and appreciate the heritage resource.

This project will build on The Trust's 37 years of experience and good practice to promote increased access to the results of its work. The Trustees believe that this project for its Roman resource offers a unique opportunity for high quality and sustainable developments within the World Heritage Site.

Grant applications are now in progress for this exciting range of new developments.