Marian Pilgrimage - Our Lady of Willesden

The next stational shrine on the Pilgrimage is that of Our Lady of Willesden. 

My article from last year about this king established place of pilgrimage can be seen at Marian Pilgrimage - Our Lady of Willesden

By following the links within it my additional comments can be read, adding to my account from 2021 of what is known of the history of the shrine can be read at Our Lady of Willesden 

Most of the evidence we have is from just before or during the sixteenth century religious upheavals, and apart from references to the statue in thirteenth century records there appears little evidence as to the pattern of devotion at that period.

The medieval church at Willesden appears to have been a small rural parish church with a nave and chancel, with a tower and south aisle and chapel added to the nave about 1400, and which was very considerably enlarged in the nineteenth century.

Willesden Church from the south before the nineteenth century restoration and extension 

Image: Willesden Local History Society

There is an illustrated account by Andrew Pink of the church and shrine at Our Lady of Willesden

 

Wikipedia also has a quite detailed article, but it is not without errors - for example St Paul’s Cathedral did not have monks attached to it in the medieval period. It can be seen at St_Mary's_Church,_Willesden

The Church of St Mary Willesden before being restored and enlarged in the nineteenth century 

Image: Andrew Pink

May Our Lady of Willesden intercede for us and our intentions

Jesu mercy, Mary pray