A SMALL museum in the shadow of a World Heritage site hopes its latest exhibition will draw visitors from its larger neighbour.

Durham Heritage Centre, in the former St Mary-le-Bow Church, looks across North Bailey to the Great Rose Window, high above in the east end of Durham Cathedral.

Dwarfed by the Norman-built cathedral, the centre is one of Durham's smaller, lesser known attractions.

It closed as a parish church in the mid-1960s because of dwindling congregations and reopened a decade later in its present guise.

The centre is sponsored by the Bow Trust (Durham).

It opens from April to October, and runs a permanent exhibition on the heritage and history of Durham. There is also a secondary display area, which is changed every few months.

The latest temporary exhibition features photographs celebrating County Durham's historic listed buildings and monuments.

Honorary curator Jo Jones said the photos on display included views of a drinking fountain in Shildon, Dalden Tower, in Seaham, and a rustic gate in Sadberge, as well as more familiar sights such as Durham's castle keep.

She said: "I am sure visitors will recognise some of them, while they will probably be unaware some of the others even exist.

"It is a real mixture."

Images of England runs from today until October 31.

The centre is open from 11am to 4.30pm daily until October. During October, it will open on weekends only, from 2pm to 4.30pm.

Admission is £1.20 for adults. The centre can be contacted on 0191-384 5589.

Published: 24/08/2004