THIS Saturday, Durham archivist Michael Richardson launches his latest book with a free exhibition showing many of the pictures within it.

The book and exhibition are entitled Lost Durham, and the pictures on these pages give a taster of the jewels that are to be found in Lost Durham.

The exhibition is on August 31 from 10am to 4pm at St Giles' Church in Gilesgate (postcode DH1 1QQ for those who use such navigational aids). Entry is by a donation to church funds – last year's exhibition raised more than £800.

There will be tea and coffee, and composer George Hetherington will be providing an informal musical selection on the grand piano in the morning and in the afternoon the Revered Tom Glover will take over.

Visitors will also be able to explore the church, which was founded in June 1112 and has the only surviving 16th Century wooden effigy in County Durham. Only 100 such effigies exist in England, and St Giles' is of John Heath, who died in 1590. He lived at Kepier and was Lord of the Manor of Gilligate, which was the old name for Gilesgate.

Visitors will also be able to see a piece of history: the event will be opened by the new Durham mayor, Cllr Kate Corrigan, who is the 417th mayor and, aged 27, the youngest since the post was established in 1602.

Lost Durham by Michael Richardson (Amberley, £14.99)