Willesden, United Kingdom
Willesden is a town of 44,295 people in England, United Kingdom.
Why visit Willesden
Townapedia lists 37 museums and landmarks, 64 parks and trails, 256 places to eat, 16 places to stay and 21 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Barons Court Theatre, Bush Theatre, Museum of Brands and Ben Uri Gallery.
Weather in Willesden
Forecast from MET Norway (CC BY 4.0). Full forecast
About Willesden
Willesden () is an area of north-west London, situated 5 miles (8 km) west 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 part of the London Borough of Brent in Greater London since 1965. Dollis Hill is also sometimes referred to as being part of Willesden.
From the Wikipedia article Willesden (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Photos of Willesden
Things to do21
Barons Court Theatre
Cinema and theater · 3.2 mi
Pub theatre in West Kensington, London
Bush Theatre
Cinema and theater · 2.0 mi
Theatre in Shepherd's Bush, London, England
Hammersmith Apollo
Cinema and theater · 3.0 mi
Music and entertainment venue in Hammersmith, London, England, UK
Hammersmith Bridge
Bridge · 3.1 mi
Suspension bridge in London, England, UK
King's Theatre, Hammersmith
Cinema and theater · 2.8 mi
Former theatre in Hammersmith, London, England
Lyric Theatre
Cinema and theater · 2.8 mi
Theatre in King Street, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham
Mercury Theatre, Notting Hill Gate
Cinema and theater · 2.2 mi
Former theatre in London, England
Cockpit Theatre, Marylebone
Cinema and theater · 2.8 mi
Theatre in the City of Westminster
Metropolitan Theatre
Cinema and theater · 2.8 mi
Former theatre, music hall and cinema in Edgware Road, Paddington, London, now demolished
9 more on the map.
Museums and landmarks37
Museum of Brands
Museum · 1.5 mi
111-117 Lancaster Road, London
Mo-Sa 10:00-17:00; Su 11:00-17:00; Dec 24-26 off
Hogarth's House
Museum · 3.4 mi
Grade I listed historic house museum in the London Borough of Hounslow, England,UK
Humanitarian Memorial
Monument and historic site · 3.3 mi
Memorial in Gunnersbury Park, London
Kelmscott House
Museum · 3.0 mi
House museum in London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, Greater London, England, United Kingdom
25 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds64
Little Wormwood Scrubs
Park · 0.7 mi
Park in London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, United Kingdom
Brook Green
Park · 2.6 mi
Neighbourhood, street and park in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham
Emslie Horniman's Pleasance
Park · 1.2 mi
Park in Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, London, UK
Furnival Gardens
Park · 3.0 mi
Park in Hammersmith, London, near the River Thames
Hammersmith Park
Park · 1.6 mi
Park in London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, United Kingdom
Hanger Hill Wood
Park · 2.6 mi
Nature reserve in the London Borough of Ealing, England, UK
52 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes256
Beer + Burger
Bar and pub · Burger · 1.2 mi
Beer bar that sells burgers
88 Walm Lane, London
Mo-Th 16:00-23:00; Fr-Sa 12:00-23:00; Su 12:00-22:30
Carmel
Restaurant · Mediterranean · 1.3 mi
21-25 Lonsdale Road, London
Tu-Sa 12:00-23:00; Su 12:00-22:00
Casa Felicia
Restaurant · Italian · 1.2 mi
79 Salusbury Road, London
Tu-We 18:00-22:00; Th-Sa 12:00-15:00,18:00-22:00; Su 12:00-17:00
Kadiri's
Restaurant · Indian · 1.0 mi
High Road, London
Tu-Th 17:00-22:00; Fr 12:00-22:00; Sa,Su 12:00-22:00
Pyra
Restaurant · Spanish, Greek · 1.3 mi
6a-8a Lonsdale Road, London
We-Th 18:00-23:00; Fr 18:00-24:00; Sa 12:00-15:00,18:00-24:00; Su...
Sacro Cuore
Restaurant · Pizza · 0.7 mi
45 Chamberlayne Road, London
Su-Th 12:00-22:30; Fr-Sa 12:00-23:00
Sanzio
Restaurant · Italian · 1.2 mi
26 Station Parade, London
We-Th 12:00-15:00, 18:00-22:00; Fr-Sa 12:00-23:00; Su 12:00-22:00
Starbucks
Cafe · Coffee Shop · 1.4 mi
191 Wood Lane, London
Mo-Th 06:30-19:00; Fr 06:30-18:30; Sa 07:30-16:00; Su 08:30-15:30
244 more on the map.
History
The name derives from the Anglo-Saxon Willesdune, meaning the Hill of the Spring, and a Manor (landholding) bearing this name was recorded in 939 AD. The Domesday Book of 1086 records the manor as Wellesdone. However, on 19th century maps of the town such as those from the 'Ordnance Survey First Series', the town is shown as Wilsdon. The current spelling was adopted by the London and Birmingham Railway in 1844, when they opened a local station.
Willesden became a civil parish in the medieval period. From the 14th to 16th centuries, the town was a place of pilgrimage due to the presence of two ancient statues of the Virgin Mary at the Church of St Mary. One of these statues is thought to have been a Black Madonna, venerated as Our Lady of Willesden, which was insulted by the Lollards, taken to Thomas Cromwell's house and burnt in 1538 on a large bonfire of "notable images" including those of Our Lady of Walsingham, Our Lady of Worcester, and Our Lady of Ipswich. There was also a "holy well" which was thought to possess miraculous qualities, particularly for blindness and other eye disorders.
Much of the district supplied apples, pears and vegetables to the city of London for many years from the early years of the industrial revolution.
Read more of the history
The Iris was a British car brand that was manufactured from 1906 by Legros & Knowles Ltd in Willesden. Lucien Alphonse Legros (1866–1933), son of the artist Alphonse Legros, and Guy Knowles, scion of a wealthy and artistic family, founded Legros & Knowles Ltd in Cumberland Park, Willesden Junction, in 1904 to build and repair vehicles.
The parish of Willesden remained predominantly rural up until 1875, when its population was 18,500. It included the villages and hamlets of Brondesbury, Dollis Hill, Dudden Hill, Harlesden, Kilburn, Mapesbury, Oxgate and Stonebridge. However, this changed with the opening of the Metropolitan Railway (later the Metropolitan line) station of Willesden Green on 24 November 1879. By 1906 the population had grown to 140,000. In the 1920's this growth would be repeated in neighbouring areas such as Harrow. The Metropolitan line service was withdrawn in 1940, when the station was served by the Bakerloo line, and later the Jubilee line.
The First World War caused Willesden to change from a predominantly middle class suburb to a working class part of London. After the war, Willesden grew rapidly as many factories opened up with numerous flats and terraced houses. The local council encouraged building to prevent large unemployment and decline.
To the present day, Willesden has been shaped by the patterns of migration which marks it out as one of the most diverse areas in the United Kingdom. City of London Corporation records show that the first black person recorded in Brent was Sarah Eco, who was christened in St. Mary's Church in Willesden on 15 September 1723. The 1901 United Kingdom census recorded that 42% of the population was born in London. In 1923, the specialist coach builder Freestone and Webb established their base in Willesden, producing bespoke cars on Rolls-Royce and Bentley chassis until 1956.
Willesden became a municipal borough in 1933, and it is at this time that the area became predominantly working class. A small Irish community had formed in Willesden by this time, which grew rapidly during the period of the Second World War. A small Jewish community of refugees from Europe also formed during the war, with 3.5% of the population in 1951 born in Germany, Poland, Russia or Austria.
During the war, Willesden suffered large bombing damage due to the heavy concentration of manufacturing industry, such as munition factories, the location of 'Smiths Instruments" (Used defensive aircraft instrumentation). Mulliner-Park Ward (Coach builders to Rolls-Royce and Bentley, hand built cars). Power Station location, canal and major railway locomotive overhaul facilities located in the area.
The period from 1960 saw migrants settling from the Caribbean and the Indian subcontinent. Additionally, from 1963 it was the site of the Kuo Yuan, the first Chinese restaurant to serve Pekinese dishes in Britain. Since the 1960s, Willesden has been popular with young working holidaymakers from Canada, Australia and New Zealand, although this popularity has declined somewhat in favour of other areas since about 2003.
Willesden went into a period of decline during the 1970s and 1980s as much of the housing was inadequate due to overcrowding as industry was mixed with housing. The whole of central Willesden (bar the area by the Willesden Green station) was earmarked for redevelopment; however, this did not come to fruition. In the late 1980s, traders were given money to revamp the High Street to prevent shops closing.
The area surrounding Willesden Green station has become more middle-class and gentrified with marked property price rises in 2014 and 2015.
From the History section of Willesden on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
More about Willesden
Geography
Roundwood Park is on the south-western side while Gladstone Park is nearby to the north of Willesden. It lies about 130 feet (40 m) to 200 feet (60 m) above sea level.
From the Wikipedia article Willesden, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Notable people from Willesden
Ronald CoaseBritish economist and Nobel laureate (1910–2013)Photo: University of Chicago Law School, Attribution
Oliver SacksBritish neurologist and writer (1933–2015)Photo: {{Creator:..., Public domain
Alan ParsonsBritish audio engineer, musician, and record producerPhoto: Andemaya, CC BY-SA 4.0
Emma SammsBritish actressPhoto: Prince Power, CC BY 3.0
Paterson JosephBritish actorPhoto: Alex Lozupone, CC BY-SA 4.0
Rod PriceEnglish guitarist (1947-2005)Photo: Jim Summaria, CC BY-SA 3.0
Helen GrantBritish politician (born 1961)Photo: ©House of Commons / Laurie Noble, CC BY 3.0
Charles J. FingerBritish-American writer and musicianPhoto: Robert H. Davis, Public domain- Jane AsherEnglish actress and author
- David ConnollyIrish footballer
- Dave BeasantEnglish footballer (born 1959)
- Steve O'RourkeBritish band manager and racecar driver (1940-2003)
Born in Willesden, according to Wikidata (CC0). Each name links to its Wikipedia article.
Where to stay16
Churches and places of worship97
Our Lady of the Holy Souls Roman Catholic Church
Church · Catholic · 1.2 mi
68 Hazlewood Crescent, London
Shopping57
Gas and EV charging11
Schools, colleges and libraries65
Healthcare39
Map of Willesden
250 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Getting there and nearby towns
RAF Northolt (NHT) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 8 miles away.
- Harlesden 1 mi northwest, about 1 min by car
- Belsize Park 3 mi east, about 5 min by car
- Golders Green 3 mi northeast, about 5 min by car
- Chalk Farm 4 mi east, about 6 min by car
- Camden Town 4 mi east, about 6 min by car
- Highgate 4 mi northeast, about 6 min by car
- West Ealing 4 mi west, about 7 min by car
- Barnes 4 mi south, about 7 min by car
- Sudbury 4 mi west, about 7 min by car
- London 5 mi east, about 8 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Towns near Willesden
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Keep exploring
Local news
Headlines from INDB.
Reviews, tips and questions
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Sources and licences
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, coordinates, regions and time zone
- Mapillary (see each image): photos
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Willesden French Market 2006, Ajplondon at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 2.5
- Chiswick Park Footbridge 04, Juan Gutierrez Andres, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Hammersmith Apollo 2008 06 19, Alex.muller, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Hammersmith Bridge 1, London, UK - April 2012, Diliff, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Hammersmith flyover 6523r, Patche99z, Public domain
- The lyric hammersmith, Tarquin Binary, Public domain
- Mercury Theatre - Ladbroke Road Notting Hill Gate London W11 3BY, Spudgun67, CC BY-SA 4.0
- BU Gallery Exterior 2015 (1), Benuricw, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Hogarths house 5832, Unknown author, Public domain
- Gunnersbury Park, The Humanitarian Memorial (2025), AndyScott, CC0
- Kelmscott House, Bernard Burns, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Casa de Leighton, Londres, Inglaterra, 2022-11-26, DD 40, Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Lisson Gallery, Marylebone, NW1 (6947100960), Ewan Munro from London, UK, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Little Wormwood Scrubs in London, spring 2013 (9), Chmee2, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Brook Green Park in London in spring 2013 (4), Chmee2, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Chiswick Park by the RRP, Steve Cadman, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Furnivall Gardens, Hammersmith, ZeevoX, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Hammersmith Park, Alexander Williams, CC BY-SA 4.0
- London Temple, The original uploader was Nikkul at English Wikipedia ., CC BY-SA 2.0
- Bassett House School playroom, Dukes Education, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Burlington Danes Academy school in London, spring 2013 (1), Chmee2, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Holiday Inn Express, North End Road, Fulham, London 01, Edwardx, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Museum of Brands Building, Museum of Brands, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Queen Charlotte's and Chelsea Hospital, London in spring 2013 (7), Chmee2, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Our Lady of Willesden - St Mary's Church a, Timothy Titus, CC BY 4.0
- Kensal Green Cemetery view December 2005, Unknown author, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Museum of Brands 1950s displays, Museum of Brands, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Curtains Up, Barons Court, W14 (19120034783), Ewan Munro from London, UK, CC BY-SA 2.0
- The Emslie Horniman Pleasance (2945072572), Steve Cadman from London, U.K., CC BY-SA 2.0
- Fox Wood, Ealing 1, Dudley Miles, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Tapestry lawn at Avondale Park Summer, Solstice2015, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Old Oak with hollows in Hanger Hill Wood (London Borough of Ealing)20180527 164853, Nalsenai, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 068 - Unique Pizza, Randomly London, CC BY-SA 2.0
- On the rooftops of London - panoramio, James Roberts (Jampp…, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Harrow Road, Kensal Green 2012-10-06, r h, CC BY 2.0
- Bush Theatre - Passmore Edwards plaque - 7 Uxbridge Road London W12 8LJ, Spudgun67, CC BY-SA 4.0
- The Kings Theatre (Hammersmith and Fulham Historic Buildings Group), Spudgun67, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Ealing-Common-old-drinking-fountain-DMS-01, DMS, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Beer + Burger, Willesden, NW2, Ewan-M, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Street-level photo, matth81, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, Roufster, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, smsm1, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, Roufster, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, athuler, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, athuler, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, Roufster, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, matth81, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, matthewitt, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, matthewitt, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, RyanBush, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, nikolaristov992, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, Semir_Mapillary, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, laye, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, southglos, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, asturksever, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, matth81, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, Semir_Mapillary, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, Semir_Mapillary, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, athuler, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, Semir_Mapillary, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, RyanBush, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, athuler, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, Semir_Mapillary, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, Semir_Mapillary, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, athuler, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, southglos, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, RyanBush, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, southglos, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, laye, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, IpswichEdits, CC BY-SA 4.0
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