Early history thumb|Church of St. Mary on Neasden Lane, Willesden 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.
early history thumb|church of st mary on neasden lane willesden 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