About us News Major Archive Grant Awarded Press Release: 5th March 2026 The Vindolanda Trust, leading a partnership with Durham University and North East Museums, has been awarded £149,996 through the Archives Revealed Consortium Grant to deliver “Materialitas”: an ambitious new archive project. This major award, running from April 2026 to April 2028, is only the second Archives Revealed Consortium Grant ever awarded and represents the largest dedicated archival cataloguing grant currently available in the UK. The funding will support the cataloguing and public access of five nationally significant archives relating to Hadrian’s Wall, its archaeologists, sites, and material culture. The five complementary collections are: The Archive of Eric Birley (The Vindolanda Trust): the personal and professional papers of one of the pioneers of Roman frontier archaeology, founder of Durham University’s Department of Archaeology and Vindolanda’s first modern excavator. The Archive of the Oswald Plicque Reference Collection (Durham University): documentation accompanying a reference collection of 4,500 Samian ware fragments assembled in the late 19th century and later acquired for Durham University by Professor Eric Birley. The SANT Photographic Archive of Hadrian’s Wall (Great North Museum: Hancock): early 20th-century photographs taken by members of the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle upon Tyne. The Archive of Beryl Charlton (Great North Museum: Hancock): the professional papers of a Northumberland-based female Roman archaeologist and long-standing SANT member. The South Shields Roman Fort Archaeological Archive (Arbeia South Shields Roman Fort): archival material relating to excavations carried out between 1949 and 1983. Together, these archives demonstrate that the history of Hadrian’s Wall and the Roman northern frontier is best understood, developed, and engaged with as a connected whole. Documents pictured from the Eric Birley archive. The Archives Revealed programme is funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, the Pilg rim Trust, the Wolfson Foundation and The National Archives. Archives Revealed is the only grant programme in the United Kingdom dedicated to cataloguing and unlocking archival collections. Its goal is to ensure that significant archive collections, representing the lives and perspectives of people across the UK, are made accessible for public research and enjoyment. Veryan Johnston, Chair of Trustees of the Vindolanda Trust, said: “We are excited about this partnership and the opportunity it presents for people to connect to the history of Hadrian’s Wall from a different perspective, through its archival record, complementing the archaeological remains.” Bethany Goodman, Archivist and Project Manager, said: “These archives hold extraordinary potential for research, creativity, and public engagement, but much of that potential remains locked without detailed cataloguing. This project allows us to bring together collections that are usually encountered in isolation and reveal the networks of people, ideas, and material culture that shaped our understanding of Hadrian’s Wall.” Gemma Lewis, Curator of Archaeology and Natural Science, Durham University, commented: “Durham University is proud to be part of this partnership, which builds on our long-standing connections to Roman frontier studies. By making these archives accessible, the project will support new research, enrich teaching, and enable wider audiences to engage with the people and practices behind the archaeology.” Materialitas will create publicly accessible online catalogues for all five archives by the end of the project, alongside a programme of engagement activities including internships and volunteer opportunities, an artist residency and commission, a conference, and an online exhibition. The project responds to the growing risks facing Hadrian’s Wall as a physical structure through climate change and the passage of time. By strengthening access to its archival record, the partners aim to ensure that the Wall’s history remains accessible, valued, and enjoyed, preserving knowledge of the frontier for when the Wall itself may no longer survive. Through collaboration and shared stewardship, the partners bring together individual collections to tell a broader story of Hadrian’s Wall, examining our social and cultural connections to the frontier and ensuring its legacy endures for academic, public, and community audiences long into the future. Above: The South Shields Roman Fort Archaeological Archive - North East Museums Above: The Archive of the Oswald Plicque Reference Collection - Durham University ~Ends~ Notes to editors The Vindolanda Trust is an independent archaeological charitable trust founded in 1970. The Trust leads the excavation, conservation, research, and public presentation of Roman Vindolanda Magna Roman Fort, and plays a key role in preserving and interpreting the archaeological and archival heritage of Hadrian’s Wall. The Trust does not receive any annual core funding and relies on income generated by visitors to its sites to support its archaeological, conservation, education, and community engagement work. Roman Vindolanda and the Roman Army Museum & Magna are both located within the Hadrian’s Wall World Heritage Site, forming part of the internationally significant Roman frontier landscape of northern Britain. Roman Vindolanda is internationally recognised for the richness of its archaeological remains and its programme of ongoing excavation. The site is home to the world-famous Vindolanda Writing Tablets—thin, handwritten wooden documents that provide rare first-hand insight into everyday life on the Roman frontier nearly 2,000 years ago. The Tablets were voted Britain’s top archaeological treasure by the British Museum. The Vindolanda collection has been awarded Designation status, recognising its national and international importance. Manage Cookie Preferences