The Ancient Parish of Willesden
Brondesbury, Church End, part of Cricklewood, Dollis Hill, Dudden Hill, East Twyford, Harlesden, Kensal Rise, Kilburn (west of Edgware Road), Mapesbury, Neasden, Park Royal, Stonebridge, Willesden and Willesden Green are all places in the Ancient Parish of Willesden, which formed part of the Kensington division of the Ossulstone hundred subdivision of the county of Middlesex. Civil Parishes took over from Ancient Parishes in the 1860s, followed by Urban District Councils in 1894 and then London Boroughs in 1965. Willesden now forms part of the London Borough of Brent. Surrounding Willesden are the parishes of Hendon, Hampstead, Paddington, Chelsea, Kensington, Hammersmith, Acton, Wembley, West Twyford and Kingsbury.
The Society has produced a Parish Guide to Willesden.
St Mary, Neasden Lane, Willesden
The earliest part of St Mary’s church building dates from the 13th century although the font was made in 1150. The church was a focus for pilgrims in the Middle Ages as it housed a statue which supposedly had miraculous powers but this was destroyed as idolatrous in 1538. Until 1867 St Mary’s was the only church in the parish. Records of the parish include baptisms (1569-1979), marriages (1574-1974), burials (1572-1966) and are at London Metropolitan Archives, Ref: DRO/113. Baptisms at Willesden General Hospital from 1942-1964 are included in this collection.
All Souls, Station Road, Harlesden
Mission services from St Mary, Willesden had been held at Harlesden since 1858, with an iron church being built in 1867 and a permanent one in 1879. The parish was taken from St Mary, Willesden, Acton, Hammersmith and St John, Kensal Green. Although there was no graveyard, the church contains some memorial plaques and inscriptions. Records of the parish include baptisms (1875-1964) and marriages (1879-1956) and are at London Metropolitan Archives, Ref: DRO/089.
Christ Church, Willesden Lane, Brondesbury
This parish was created from St Mary’s in 1867. The church had to shut between 1940 and 1948 due to bomb damage in the war and for this period services were held at Mapesbury Hall and St Gabriel’s, Cricklewood. In 1971 the parish joined with St Laurence Brondesbury and the church was mainly converted to housing. Records of the parish include baptisms (1867-1965) and marriages (1867-1981) and are at London Metropolitan Archives, Ref: DRO/114.
Holy Trinity, Brondesbury Road, Kilburn
This church was founded in 1867 with the parish taken from St Mary’s. A fire destroyed Holy Trinity in 1950 and the ruins were removed in 1970.
Records of the parish include baptisms (1867-1953) and marriages (1867-1953) and are at London Metropolitan Archives, Ref: DRO/093.
St Andrew, High Road, Willesden Green
This parish was created out of St Mary’s parish in 1880 and the church was consecrated in 1887. St Andrew’s parish was joined with that of St Francis of Assisi in 1991. Records of the parish include baptisms (1881-1984), marriages (1887-1967), burials (1887-1954) and are at London Metropolitan Archives, Ref: DRO/099.
St Anne, Salusbury Road, Brondesbury
This parish was taken from Christ Church, Holy Trinity and St John Kensal Green after having originated as a mission of the London Diocesan Home Mission. Records of the parish include baptisms (1900-1954) and marriages (1905-1971) and are at London Metropolitan Archives, Ref: DRO/092.
St Catherine, Dudden Hill Lane, Neasden cum Kingsbury
Registers from this church, which include baptisms from 1879, are not deposited at LMA. More information about this church can be found on their website: http://www.stcatherineneasden.com/history.html
St Cecilia, Acton Lane, Harlesden
This church started as a mission of St Michael, Stonebridge in 1895. It closed in 1956. Records of the parish include baptisms (1920-1928) and are at London Metropolitan Archives, Ref: DRO/112/008-010.
St Edward Mission, Taylor’s Lane, Willesden
This Mission was founded by the parish church of St Mary after proposals made in 1897. It had fallen into disuse by the mid-20th century. Documents held at LMA, Ref: DRO/113/SEM, include a register of services 1911-1919 and papers relating to the construction of the building and its subsequent sale.
St Francis of Assisi, Fleetwood Road, Gladstone Park, Willesden
This church began as a mission in St Andrew’s parish in 1911 with a separate parish being formed in 1933. The two parishes were reunited in 1991. Records of the parish include baptisms (1911-1990) and marriages (1925-1933) and are at London Metropolitan Archives, Ref: DRO/100.
St Gabriel, Walm Lane, Cricklewood
An iron church was opened for worship on Chichele Road in 1891 with a stone church following next door in 1897, see picture right. Registers have not been deposited at LMA. There is a more detailed history of the church and contact details on their website: https://www.st-gabriels.org/
St John the Baptist Dudden Hill Lane
These registers appear in the parish records of St Andrew. The church closed sometime in the first half of the 20th century. Records of the parish include baptisms (1910-1921) and are at London Metropolitan Archives, Ref: DRO/099.
St John the Evangelist, Cambridge Gardens, Kilburn
A parish was formed from that of Holy Trinity in 1872. In 1971 it was joined with St Augustine, Kilburn Park Road, Paddington and St John’s church was closed. It burnt down in 1975. The registers appear with those of St Augustine. Records of the parish include baptisms (1871-1968) and marriages (1872-1971) and are at London Metropolitan Archives, Ref: P87/AUG.
St Mark, Bathurst Gardens, Harlesden
A mission church was dedicated here in 1903 which was attached to All Souls, Harlesden and St Mark’s became a separate parish in 1911. The church building was started in 1914 but corrugated iron was used as a frontage until as late as 1968, when a brick wall was finished. In 1986 St Mark and St Martin, Kensal Rise combined into a single parish but in 2011 they separated again. Records of the parish include baptisms (1914-1969) and marriages (1915-1978) and are at London Metropolitan Archives, Ref: DRO/181.
St Martin, Mortimer Road, Kensal Rise
This church was founded in 1899 as a memorial to cleric Dean Charles Vaughan, who had been headmaster of Harrow School and Master of the Temple in the City of London. Records of the parish include baptisms (1895-1980) and marriages (1901-1965) and are at London Metropolitan Archives, Ref: DRO/179.
St Matthew, St Mary’s Road, Willesden
An iron mission church was opened in 1895 with a permanent building following 11 years later. The parish was formed from St Mary’s and All Souls. Records of the parish include baptisms (1895-1971) and marriages (1902-1958) and are at London Metropolitan Archives, Ref: DRO/097.
St Michael, Cricklewood
This church was founded in 1907 by the London Diocesan Home Mission, with the parish being assigned from St Gabriel’s. ecords of the parish include baptisms (1907-1991, with gaps) and marriages (1910-1990) and are at London Metropolitan Archives, Ref: DRO/095.
St Michael and All Angels, Hillside, Stonebridge
Following a London Diocesan Home Mission, a parish was created from St Mary’s and All Souls in 1892. Records of the parish include baptisms (1886-1978) and marriages (1892-1969) and are at London Metropolitan Archives, Ref: DRO/112.
St Paul, Dollis Hill Lane, Cricklewood
Baptisms started in 1925 but registers have not been deposited at LMA. The church was closed in 1980 and the parish united with St Catherine, Neasden.
St Paul, Kilburn Square, Willesden
This was founded as a proprietary chapel in 1825. In 1867 the parish of Holy Trinity was split off from St Paul but they were reunited in 1936 and the church subsequently demolished. Records of the parish include baptisms (1859-1935) and marriages (1897-1934) and are at London Metropolitan Archives, Ref: DRO/094.
St Peter, College Park, Willesden
This was a mission church which fell within the parish of St Mark, Harlesden. It was sold in 1966 and the St Mark’s Church Hall was built with the proceeds. No registers have been deposited at LMA.
St Raphael, Garden Way, Neasden
The London Diocesan Home Mission opened a chapel for the Great Central Railway estate in 1910. It closed in 1972. Records of the parish include baptisms (1910-1971) and marriages (1933-1964) and are at London Metropolitan Archives, Ref: DRO/113.
St Saviour, Quainton Street, Neasden
The London Diocesan Home Mission opened a chapel for the Metropolitan Railway estate in 1883. It was closed in 1945.