A SERIES of free talks giving a glimpse into the life and heritage of Hexham Abbey are to take place over coming weekends.

The Saturday afternoon presentations at the Abbey will run for three consecutive weeks on January 21, January 28 and February 4, from 4pm until 5pm.

Experts and local historians will share their knowledge with the public at the free presentations, which are returning for their third year due to popular demand.

On January 21, Hexham Abbey 3-D Laser Scanning and Remote Sensing will be delivered by Sophie Hueglin and Alex Turner, as well as Styles in Stained Glass by Chris Britton and The Sele: 3D-Topography and Remote Sensing by Sophie Hueglin, Alex Turner and David Astbury.

Those in attendance on January 28 will hear The Phelps Organ: An Inspiration for the Country, by Marcus Wibberley; How to Survive the Middle Ages, by Tom Kelsey and Hexham’s Holy House, by Stephen Pedley.

And on February 4, Bishop Burnett in his own time will be delivered by Chris Simmons; Acca of Hexham: what we have – and what we’ve lost, by Richard Bailey and More from the Abbey Catalogue, by Hugh Dixon.

Each presentation lasts around 10 minutes, followed by time for questions from the public.

Volunteer and events manager Jane Musto said: “We usually have between 100 to 130 people coming along every time. It takes place in the Abbey itself and it is very popular.

“It began because we have a conservation group which emerged from the project when we started doing the refurbishment to the visitor centre. They started cataloguing everything in the Abbey and came across some really interesting discoveries and, to some degree, learned a lot more about some of the history of the Abbey.

“As well as the visitor centre was the renovation to the monastic buildings which held a huge amount of history.

“Some of the speakers are conservation group members and some are local people who have an understanding of the Abbey.”

More information at www.hexhamabbey.org. uk or contact Jane Musto on (01434) 611904.