Hexham Abbey to reclaim Henry VIII's cache

The buildings, previously occupied by Northumberland County Council and Northumberland Primary Care Trust, are now empty.

London-based Christie's is holding a valuation day for people's treasures at the abbey tomorrow from 11am-3pm and is also staging a show of paintings from forthcoming sales. Around 40 works will be on display, worth about £3m.

They include paintings by LS Lowry, Dante Gabriel Rossetti and a Charles Rennie Macintosh image of purple mallow flowers from Holy Island off Northumberland.

Entrance to the abbey is free but a £5 ticket allows admission to the exhibition and the valuation of up to three items.

The proceeds will be split between the Hexham Abbey Centre Appeal and Maggie's Cancer Caring Centres.

Christie's spokesman Matthew Paton said: "Many of the works are from private collections and have not been seen in public. It is a good opportunity for people to see these paintings and also support the abbey ."

Canon Graham Usher, rector of Hexham Abbey, said: "We are delighted to welcome Christie's.

"The former monastic buildings were lost to the abbey during the Reformation and this is a once-in-a-450-year chance to bring then back into use for the abbey and into the heart of the Hexham community.

"The plans should have a major economic impact for Hexham. Without a visitor centre we have not been able to interpret the story of the abbey and the immense part it has played in the North East's Christian heritage."