A PAINTING depicting one of John Wesley's most ambitious missions has pride of place in the Weardale Museum at Ireshopeburn.

Before turning his attention to the good folk of Weardale, Wesley went to America in 1738 to convert tribes of native Indians.

But he returned to England disillusioned.

He wrote: "I went to America to convert the Indians, but oh, who shall convert me?"

However, Wesley, a member of the Church of England until then, was later converted to Methodism.

Wesley, who attributed his good health to rising from bed no later than 4am for about 50 years, never travelled less than 4,000 miles by land or sea each year