Cash boost paves way for Vindolanda letters to return home

Sep 29 2009 by Tony Henderson, The Journal

“To have the letters back on public display would be wonderful and we are very excited,” said Patricia Birley, director of the Vindolanda Trust. “Negotiations with the British Museum have been excellent and they are fully supportive of our efforts to get tablets back to Vindolanda.”

The project, which will mean around four new jobs, will also see the creation of an archaeo-education centre at Vindolanda. This would improve facilities for visiting school parties, linking with Carvoran, and will provide accommodation for volunteer diggers who help with the Vindolanda excavations each year as well as allowing people who cannot dig to take part in post-excavation work. Access from the site of the Roman remains at Vindolanda to the site’s museum, which involves a steep hilly descent, will also be improved.

“This project will be of huge benefit to the work of the trust and will provide world heritage class facilities ,” said Patricia. “We are absolutely thrilled and we are very keen indeed to get started on this project.”

Vindolanda currently attracts around 85,000 visitors a year and the Roman Army Museum at Carvoran 40,000.

A study has suggested that the upgrades and exhibitions at the two sites could see an extra 20,000 visitors by 2012 generating an estimated £4.2m in visitor spending.

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