St Mary's Church, Willesden
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

St Mary's Church is a
Church of England The Church of England (C of E) is the State religion#State churches, established List of Christian denominations, Christian church in England and the Crown Dependencies. It is the mother church of the Anglicanism, Anglican Christian tradition, ...
parish A parish is a territorial entity in many Christianity, Christian denominations, constituting a division within a diocese. A parish is under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of a priest#Christianity, priest, often termed a parish pries ...
church Church may refer to: Religion * Church (building), a place/building for Christian religious activities and praying * Church (congregation), a local congregation of a Christian denomination * Church service, a formalized period of Christian comm ...
on Neasden Lane, in
Neasden Neasden is a suburban area in northwest London, England. It is located around the centre of the London Borough of Brent and is within the NW2 (Cricklewood) and NW10 (Willesden) postal districts. Neasden is near Wembley Stadium, the Brent Reserv ...
,
Willesden Willesden () is an area of north-west London, situated 5 miles (8 km) north-west of Charing Cross. It is historically a parish in the county of Middlesex that was incorporated as the Municipal Borough of Willesden in 1933; it has formed ...
,
Borough of Brent Brent () is a borough in north-west London, England. It is known for landmarks such as Wembley Stadium, the Swaminarayan Temple and the Kiln Theatre. It also contains the Welsh Harp reservoir and the Park Royal commercial estate. The local au ...
, London. Since 938, there has been a church on its site. The building itself dates from the 13th century, with restorations done to it in 1850, 1872 and 1893. From the 13th century, there was a shrine to
Our Lady of Willesden Our Lady of Willesden is a title of the Blessed Virgin Mary venerated by Christians in London, especially by Anglicans, Catholics, and Eastern Orthodox. It is associated with the historic image (statue) and pilgrimage centre in the community o ...
, which although destroyed in the
English Reformation The English Reformation began in 16th-century England when the Church of England broke away first from the authority of the pope and bishops Oath_of_Supremacy, over the King and then from some doctrines and practices of the Catholic Church ...
was restored at the beginning of the 20th century.


History

According to the
parish A parish is a territorial entity in many Christianity, Christian denominations, constituting a division within a diocese. A parish is under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of a priest#Christianity, priest, often termed a parish pries ...
, there was a place of worship on the site of the church since 938.St Mary's Church Willesden
from
Brent London Borough Council Brent London Borough Council, also known as Brent Council, is the local authority for the London Borough of Brent in Greater London, England. It is a London borough council, one of 32 in London. The council has been under Labour majority contro ...
, retrieved 13 November 2024
In 1181, it was recorded that there was a church there. Monks from
Old St Paul's Cathedral Old St Paul's Cathedral was the cathedral of the City of London that, until the Great Fire of London, Great Fire of 1666, stood on the site of the present St Paul's Cathedral. Built from 1087 to 1314 and dedicated to Paul of Tarsus, Saint Paul ...
in London travelled to Willesden and wrote about the church and what it contained. In 1200, the monks again visited the church and recorded that the church had been enlarged with side aisles and a tower added.St Mary's Willesden
from Willesden Local History Society, retrieved 13 November 2024
The monks from St Paul's Cathedral did the records because the
Dean of St Paul's The dean of St Paul's is a member of, and chair of the Chapter of St Paul's Cathedral in London in the Church of England. The dean of St Paul's is also '' ex officio'' dean of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of th ...
and his
chapter Chapter or Chapters may refer to: Books * Chapter (books), a main division of a piece of writing or document * Chapter book, a story book intended for intermediate readers, generally age 7–10 * Chapters (bookstore), Canadian big box bookstore ...
owned the
rectory A clergy house is the residence, or former residence, of one or more priests or ministers of a given religion, serving as both a home and a base for the occupant's ministry. Residences of this type can have a variety of names, such as manse, p ...
. Their ownership came from
Æthelstan Æthelstan or Athelstan (; ; ; ; – 27 October 939) was King of the Anglo-Saxons from 924 to 927 and King of the English from 927 to his death in 939. He was the son of King Edward the Elder and his first wife, Ecgwynn. Modern histori ...
who either gave the land to them or confirmed its transferral to clergy of St Paul's. In 1217, the rectory was rented to the
Archdeacon of Middlesex The Archdeacon of Middlesex is a senior cleric in the Church of England, co-responsible for the Archdeaconry of "Middlesex", which mirrors the "Kensington" episcopal area of the Diocese of London — the other person responsible being the Bis ...
for life. The annual cost was stated as 10
marks Marks may refer to: Business * Mark's, a Canadian retail chain * Marks & Spencer, a British retail chain * Collective trade marks A collective trademark, collective trade mark, or collective mark is a trademark owned by an organization (such ...
.Daniel Lysons,
Willesden
, in ''The Environs of London: Volume 3, County of Middlesex'' (London, 1795),
British History Online ''British History Online'' is a digital library of primary and secondary sources on medieval and modern history of Great Britain and Ireland. It was created and is managed as a cooperative venture by the Institute of Historical Research, Universit ...
, accessed 13 November 2024.
The clergy at St Paul's also appointed the
vicar A vicar (; Latin: '' vicarius'') is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior (compare "vicarious" in the sense of "at second hand"). Linguistically, ''vicar'' is cognate with the English p ...
to the church. In 1249, the rectory is first mentioned in records as were two statues of
Mary, Mother of Jesus Mary was a first-century Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Saint Joseph, Joseph and the mother of Jesus. She is an important figure of Christianity, venerated under titles of Mary, mother of Jesus, various titles such as Perpetual virginity ...
. In 1297, records show that the church had a large wooden crucifix connected to images of Mary and
St John the Evangelist John the Evangelist ( – ) is the name traditionally given to the author of the Gospel of John. Christians have traditionally identified him with John the Apostle, John of Patmos, and John the Presbyter, although there is no consensus on h ...
. There were also images next to it of
St John the Baptist John the Baptist ( – ) was a Jewish preacher active in the area of the Jordan River in the early first century AD. He is also known as Saint John the Forerunner in Eastern Orthodoxy and Oriental Orthodoxy, John the Immerser in some Baptist ...
,
St Nicholas Saint Nicholas of Myra (traditionally 15 March 270 – 6 December 343), also known as Nicholas of Bari, was an early Christian bishop of Greeks, Greek descent from the maritime city of Patara (Lycia), Patara in Anatolia (in modern-day Antalya ...
, and St Catherine. In the late Medieval period,
devotion Devotion or Devotions may refer to: Religion * Anglican devotions, private prayers and practices used by Anglican Christians * Buddhist devotion, commitment to religious observance * Catholic devotions, customs, rituals, and practices of worship ...
grew up around the church dedicated to
Our Lady of Willesden Our Lady of Willesden is a title of the Blessed Virgin Mary venerated by Christians in London, especially by Anglicans, Catholics, and Eastern Orthodox. It is associated with the historic image (statue) and pilgrimage centre in the community o ...
, and was tied to the existence of a
holy well A holy well or sacred spring is a well, Spring (hydrosphere), spring or small pool of water revered either in a Christianity, Christian or Paganism, pagan context, sometimes both. The water of holy wells is often thought to have healing qualitie ...
or spring of water that existed on the site of the church. With that devotion came donations and the church was notably well-furnished, before the
English Reformation The English Reformation began in 16th-century England when the Church of England broke away first from the authority of the pope and bishops Oath_of_Supremacy, over the King and then from some doctrines and practices of the Catholic Church ...
removed some of the interior objects.Restorations: Diane K. Bolton, Patricia E. C. Croot, M. A. Hicks,
Willesden: Churches
in ''A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 7, Acton, Chiswick, Ealing and Brentford, West Twyford, Willesden'', ed. T. F. T. Baker, C. R. Elrington (London, 1982),
British History Online ''British History Online'' is a digital library of primary and secondary sources on medieval and modern history of Great Britain and Ireland. It was created and is managed as a cooperative venture by the Institute of Historical Research, Universit ...
, accessed 13 November 2024.
In the 1538, during the English Reformation, and the reign of
Henry VIII Henry VIII (28 June 149128 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547. Henry is known for his Wives of Henry VIII, six marriages and his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. ...
, the statue of Our Lady of Willesden was taken out of the church and set on fire in Chelsea. In 1550, more objects were taken from the church, such as
vestments Vestments are liturgical garments and articles associated primarily with the Christian religion, especially by Eastern Churches, Catholics (of all rites), Lutherans, and Anglicans. Many other groups also make use of liturgical garments; amo ...
,
altar cloth An altar cloth is used in the Christian liturgy to cover the altar. It serves as a sign of reverence as well as a decoration and a protection of the altar and the sacred vessels. In the orthodox churches it is covered by the antimension, which a ...
s, and a
chalice A chalice (from Latin 'cup', taken from the Ancient Greek () 'cup') is a drinking cup raised on a stem with a foot or base. Although it is a technical archaeological term, in modern parlance the word is now used almost exclusively for the ...
. Nevertheless, not all was taken. After the
English Civil War The English Civil War or Great Rebellion was a series of civil wars and political machinations between Cavaliers, Royalists and Roundhead, Parliamentarians in the Kingdom of England from 1642 to 1651. Part of the wider 1639 to 1653 Wars of th ...
, William Roberts was the local member of parliament. A
roundhead Roundheads were the supporters of the Parliament of England during the English Civil War (1642–1651). Also known as Parliamentarians, they fought against King Charles I of England and his supporters, known as the Cavaliers or Royalists, who ...
and supporter of
Oliver Cromwell Oliver Cromwell (25 April 15993 September 1658) was an English statesman, politician and soldier, widely regarded as one of the most important figures in British history. He came to prominence during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, initially ...
, he bought what were the church lands in
Neasden Neasden is a suburban area in northwest London, England. It is located around the centre of the London Borough of Brent and is within the NW2 (Cricklewood) and NW10 (Willesden) postal districts. Neasden is near Wembley Stadium, the Brent Reserv ...
and around Willesden. From the late 1600s to the mid-1800s, clergy from St Paul's Cathedral were appointed as vicars of the church, but rarely came to Willesden. In 1807, the
vestry A vestry was a committee for the local secular and ecclesiastical government of a parish in England, Wales and some English colony, English colonies. At their height, the vestries were the only form of local government in many places and spen ...
in Willesden asked them to come to the parish more often and to have a priest live there, but they were refused saying that there was not enough money to do so. A resident
curate A curate () is a person who is invested with the ''care'' or ''cure'' () of souls of a parish. In this sense, ''curate'' means a parish priest; but in English-speaking countries the term ''curate'' is commonly used to describe clergy who are as ...
was only appointed after the parish had a collection to raise the funds. Thereafter started a series of initiatives from the church. In the 1870s, more
church service A church service (or a worship service) is a formalized period of Christian communal Christian worship, worship, often held in a Church (building), church building. Most Christian denominations hold church services on the Lord's Day (offering Su ...
s were added, and a parish magazine was started. In the 1880s, a young men's institute, temperance society, and a choral association were founded. In 1911, the post of the
Bishop of Willesden The Bishop of Willesden is an episcopal title used by a suffragan bishop of the Church of England Diocese of London, in the Province of Canterbury, England. The title takes its name after Willesden, an area of the London Borough of Brent; the See ...
was created.


Shrine

In the Middles Ages, one of the statues of
Saint Mary Mary was a first-century Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Saint Joseph, Joseph and the mother of Jesus. She is an important figure of Christianity, venerated under titles of Mary, mother of Jesus, various titles such as Perpetual virginity ...
, described as 'in colour like ebony, of ancient workmanship', became a source of pilgrimage to the church. So much so that from 1475 to 1538, the church was nationally recognised as a place for pilgrims, with miracles being attributed to the statue. However, in 1539, the statue was destroyed. Devotion to
Our Lady of Willesden Our Lady of Willesden is a title of the Blessed Virgin Mary venerated by Christians in London, especially by Anglicans, Catholics, and Eastern Orthodox. It is associated with the historic image (statue) and pilgrimage centre in the community o ...
was also linked to the
holy well A holy well or sacred spring is a well, Spring (hydrosphere), spring or small pool of water revered either in a Christianity, Christian or Paganism, pagan context, sometimes both. The water of holy wells is often thought to have healing qualitie ...
found near the church. During the Reformation, this fell in disuse and its location was lost. However, in the 20th century, efforts were made to revive the devotion. The
Bishop of Willesden The Bishop of Willesden is an episcopal title used by a suffragan bishop of the Church of England Diocese of London, in the Province of Canterbury, England. The title takes its name after Willesden, an area of the London Borough of Brent; the See ...
,
Graham Leonard Graham Douglas Leonard (8 May 1921 – 6 January 2010) was an English Roman Catholic priest and former Anglican bishop. His principal ministry was as a bishop of the Church of England but, after his retirement as the Bishop of London, he beca ...
(who became
Bishop of London The bishop of London is the Ordinary (church officer), ordinary of the Church of England's Diocese of London in the Province of Canterbury. By custom the Bishop is also Dean of the Chapel Royal since 1723. The diocese covers of 17 boroughs o ...
in 1981), actively supported pilgrimages to the church. In 1972, a new Our Lady of Willesden statue was created and installed in the church in the original location of the shrine. It was sculpted by Catharni Stern. In 1998, the holy well was found and used again.


Building

In the church is a
baptismal font A baptismal font is an Church architecture, ecclesiastical architectural element, which serves as a receptacle for baptismal water used for baptism, as a part of Christian initiation for both rites of Infant baptism, infant and Believer's bapti ...
dating to the mid 12th-century. It is one of six
Norman Norman or Normans may refer to: Ethnic and cultural identity * The Normans, a people partly descended from Norse Vikings who settled in the territory of Normandy in France in the 9th and 10th centuries ** People or things connected with the Norma ...
fonts in
Middlesex Middlesex (; abbreviation: Middx) is a Historic counties of England, former county in South East England, now mainly within Greater London. Its boundaries largely followed three rivers: the River Thames, Thames in the south, the River Lea, Le ...
. There are two columns that were built in the mid-1200s that survive in the church. In addition, the
chancel In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar, including the Choir (architecture), choir and the sanctuary (sometimes called the presbytery), at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building. It may termi ...
was rebuilt in the 1300s, and the stonework from that construction still exists. The southwest tower was built around the same time as the chancel. By the end of the 1840s, parts of the church needed to be repaired. The
church congregation A church (or local church) is a religious organization or congregation that meets in a particular location, often for worship. Many are formally organized, with constitutions and by-laws, maintain offices, are served by clergy or lay leaders, ...
voted to repair the building instead of demolishing it and building a new one. From 1850 to 1852, repairs were done on the exterior. The
chancel In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar, including the Choir (architecture), choir and the sanctuary (sometimes called the presbytery), at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building. It may termi ...
was repaired and the church was extended westwards. In 1872, a restoration was done on the church. The chapel, north aisle and porch were added and the western
gallery Gallery or The Gallery may refer to: * Gallery (surname), a surname Arts, entertainment, and media * Art gallery ** Contemporary art gallery ** Online art gallery Music * Gallery (band), an American soft rock band of the 1970s Albums * ' ...
was demolished. On the outside of the church, whitewash was removed, and the tower was able to be accessed from inside the church. In the 1890s, the roof was repaired.Tour of the church:
Willesden
, in ''An Inventory of the Historical Monuments in Middlesex'', (London, 1937),
British History Online ''British History Online'' is a digital library of primary and secondary sources on medieval and modern history of Great Britain and Ireland. It was created and is managed as a cooperative venture by the Institute of Historical Research, Universit ...
, accessed 13 November 2024.


Interior

St Mary, Neasden Lane, Church End - East end - geograph.org.uk - 3373959.jpg, Interior St Mary, Neasden Lane, Church End - Chancel - geograph.org.uk - 3373933.jpg,
Chancel In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar, including the Choir (architecture), choir and the sanctuary (sometimes called the presbytery), at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building. It may termi ...
St Mary's Church shrine chapel, Willesden.jpg, Shrine chapel Our Lady of Willesden - black madonna.jpg, Shrine statue


See also

*
Our Lady of Willesden Church Our Lady of Willesden Church is a Catholic parish church in Harlesden, Willesden, Borough of Brent, London. It was built from 1929 to 1931, and houses a shrine to Our Lady of Willesden, its statue dating to 1892. The church was built in the Roman ...


Further reading

* Cliff Wadsworth, ''1000 Years of St. Mary, Willesden'', after F. A. Wood and K. J. Valentine. **–, ''St. Mary, Willesden – A History & Guide'', 1996. **–, ''A Walk Round St. Mary’s Churchyard'', Wembley History Society, 1998.


References


External links

* *
A Church Near You entry
{{DEFAULTSORT:Saint Mary's Church Willesden Church of England church buildings in the London Borough of Brent Willesden Grade II* listed buildings in the London Borough of Brent Diocese of London English Gothic architecture in Greater London 12th century in London 1181 establishments in England 19th-century Church of England church buildings Churches completed in 1872 Grade II* listed churches in London 12th-century church buildings in England Shrines to the Virgin Mary