The commanding officer's residence at Roman Vindolanda. © Vindolanda Trust

The Vindolanda Trust and London's National Maritime Museum have been awarded a funding boost from the Heritage Lottery Fund, totalling £9million.

The two projects beat other applications seeking four times the amount of money available.

Carole Souter, Chief Executive at Heritage Lottery Fund, said: “These two exceptional projects were competing in a very tough batch and stood out for the quality of their proposals, management and the unique experiences they will provide.”

“They won through after much debate and will open up two very different aspects of our heritage.”

(Above) A photograph of a Titanic lifeboat approaching the rescue ship Carpathia, taken by Carpathia passenger Mr Louis M Ogden. © National Maritime Museum, London

London’s National Maritime Museum will receive £5million to be spent on delving deeper into our maritime past, plus a new state-of-the-art gallery and exhibition space for archived works.

SS Titanic memorabilia and original manuscripts from some of history’s greatest figures including Sir Francis Drake and Captain James Cook will by uncovered and displayed for the public to see.

“With the help of the Lottery Heritage Fund, we will be able to transform the experience we offer to the 1.7 million visitors from Britain and overseas who visit us each year,” said Dr Kevin Fewster, Director of the National Maritime Museum.

Titanic luncheon menu signed by the survivors of Titanic. © National Maritime Museum, London

The Vindolanda and Roman Army Museums will receive £4million to transform the central section of Hadrian’s Wall, in Northumberland where two Roman forts and civilian settlements lay.

The money will be put into better linking the two forts, new galleries and an education centre for the next generation of young archaeologists. Archived works, previously unseen by the public, will be displayed for the first time.

Patricia Birley, Director of the Vindolanda Trust, said: “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.”