MY ARTICLE about that interesting little chapel with a Cornish connection, soon to become a family home, has brought me a long and interesting letter from a local historian who modestly wishes to remain anonymous.

It explains the origin of the name Wolston Green, where the chapel stands.

There is actually a green there and it is part of the village of Landscove which is in the sprawling parish of Staverton which spreads its tentacles far and wide, from the edge of Dartington right down to the tip of Ashburton — full of little hamlets with interesting names like Sparkwell, Pridhamsleigh, Beara, Blackler and Barkingdon.

Plus Wolston Green which, says my informant, commemorates the Wolston family who were associated with the area from Saxon times, originally at Sparkwell, later Blackler and Beara, and eventually in Landscove.

This tiny dot on the Devon map could, however, have been much larger, she says, but for a change of mind by a travelling saint.

"Legend says that in Saxon times when St Paul de Leon landed at Penzance and built his church at St Pol he sailed along the coast of Cornwall and Devon and then up the River Dart until he reached the ford at Staverton. He felt that God had guided him to this place and desired him to build a church.

"The site he chose was near Wolston Green and he gathered all his materials together ready to begin building. However, when he awoke next morning, the materials had disappeared. Patiently he repeated his preparations but by the next morning the materials had again disappeared.

"When this happened for the third time St Paul concluded that God was displeased with the site. He therefore chose the present location at Staverton which appears to have met with divine approval because a place of worship has remained there throughout the intervening 10 centuries."

So, but for a quirk of fate, there could have been a large medieval church at Wolston Green which had to wait until 1855 for the village Methodists to build their little chapel there. Curiously it is next door to a pub with the curious name of Live and Let Live.

I wonder if it signifies a metaphorical shake of hands between the churchgoers and the non religious ale drinkers — with an agreement to be good neighbours despite their different life styles. I feel sure someone will tell me more.