Canterbury Cathedral has been named as one of six sites to gain a share of £72m worth of funding in the latest round of donations from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF).

The Cathedral which is the home to the shrine of Thomas Becket and is one of the oldest and most famous Christian structures in England, will receive £11.9m from the HLF.

Plans include a visitor centre and urgent conservation work for the cathedral, which attracts more than a million visitors annually. The restorations for the Cathedral in Kent will include restoring Christ Church Gate and weatherproofing and stabilising the Nave and West Towers.

The overall scheme will cost £19.4m and HLF has allocated £11.9m which includes a £930,400 development grant. The cathedral still has to raise the rest of the funds.

"This initial support from the HLF is a public endorsement of the cathedral’s plans both for maintaining its wonderful architecture, as well as enabling even more people to be a creative part of the cathedral’s community and enjoy all that it has to offer,” said the Very Revd Dr Robert Willis, the Dean of Canterbury. Now we have two years to crystallise our plans – and to raise the £7.4 million of matched funding that is required! That will be an immense challenge, but it is one that my colleagues and I accept with relish."

Other projects to gain funding in the latest round also includes:

Nottingham Castle – earmarked funding for a £12.9m HLF bid, including a £599,500 development grant.

Bath Abbey – earmarked funding for a £10.4m HLF bid, including a £389,000 development grant.

Beamish: The North of England’s Open Air Museum – earmarked funding for a £10.7m HLF bid, including a £603,800 development grant

Blackpool Museum – earmarked funding for a £13.6m HLF bid, including a £1,240,200 development grant.

Plymouth History Centre – earmarked funding for a £12.8m HLF bid, including a £940,300 development grant.