Willesden
town of London and former civil parish
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.
With its close proximity to affluent neighbourhoods Brondesbury Park, Queen's Park and Kensal Rise, the area surrounding Willesden Green station has seen increased gentrification in the past several years, with rapidly rising property prices. The Daily Telegraph described Willesden Green as one of London's "new middle class" areas. The area has a population of 44,295, as of 2021, including the Willesden Green, Dollis Hill and Dudden Hill wards. Willesden Green has one of the city's highest Irish populations, and is also strongly associated with Afro-Caribbeans and Latin Americans.
Willesden is mostly in the NW10 postcode district, but part of it is in the NW2 postcode district.
History
Etymology
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 public source identifies “Willesden” as town of London and former civil parish. This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around Willesden, town and London.
Why this record matters
A short description can identify a subject without explaining its stakes. For “Willesden”, the useful work is to connect “town of London and former civil parish” to the records capable of establishing context and consequence.
Place names and jurisdictional language are key evidence: both can reveal earlier catalogue descriptions and overlooked record series. The source revision retrieved here is dated Sep 4, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q146702. VIAF identifies the subject as 145581079. The Library of Congress control number is n95098778. Authority coordinates are 51.547, -0.230. 2 of 3 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 1933, 1965, 2021 and 1086.
A single description cannot reconcile every naming convention, rebuilding phase or administrative transfer associated with a place. The source lead contains qualifying language; that uncertainty should survive quotation, summary and reuse. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Treat names, boundaries and functions as historically changeable. Maps, plans, inventories and administrative records can clarify what the place meant at different dates.
- Historic place names
- Jurisdictional context
- Routes into maps and plans
Contemporary maps, plans, listed-building records, estate papers and the responsible local or national archive.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Willesden”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Willesden primary sources, Willesden archive and Willesden research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Willesden”?
- What physical evidence or contemporary plan supports the description?
- Which earlier names or jurisdictions may reveal additional records?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Willesden” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.