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Who built it?
It was built by the polymath Robert Hooke, curator of experiments at the then newly founded (1660) Royal Society; architect, mathematician, scientist, inventor, astronomer; surveyor who, with his old school chum Christopher Wren helped to rebuild London after the 1666 Great Fire.
In her study of Robert Hooke’s architectural work, Margaret Batten discovered that those working on it included carpenters Bates, Hayward, Smith; Bricklayer Horn; Blacksmith Walker; Painter Stevenson.
Why is it in Willen?
Dr Richard Busby, Head of Westminster School, purchased the entire manor of Willen In 1672 from the daughters of Colonel Robert Hammond of Chertsey, a Parliamentarian officer who had been custodian of King Charles I during his imprisonment on the Isle of Wight. Following Hammond’s death in 1654, his heirs inherited the estate, which had diminished in value because of his Parliamentarian affiliation.
When Dr Busby decided to replace his new estate’s medieval church, he hired his former pupil Robert Hooke to do it.
What’s surprising about it?
It’s not what you would expect to find tucked away in a quiet backwater of a modern planned city. Without fail, it causes an involuntary “WOW” from those entering it for the first time.
It’s the only known church entirely built by Robert Hooke and believed to be the only of his buildings to have been in continuous occupation since construction.
Despite having poor access, no toilet or running water, visitors travel from outside the area to see it having read about it in Simon Jenkins’ book England’s 1000 Best Churches and in Nikolaus Pevsner’s Buildings of England (Buckinghamshire edition).
What’s exceptional about it?
When independently assessed against Historic England’s Conservation Principles, Policies and Guidance it was found to be of high significance for its:
Evidential value: “The potential of the building, its features or furnishings to yield evidence about past human activity, in particular to provide exemplars of particular styles, techniques or craftsmen”.
Historical value: “The ways in which past people, events and aspects of life can be connected through the building to the present. It tends to be illustrative of particular historical trends or associative with particular people or events.”
Architectural value: “The potential for people to draw sensory and intellectual stimulation from a place”.
As it is believed to be one of Milton Keynes’ most important buildings it was used to illustrated Milton Keynes Council’s successful bid for city status.
What are its highlights?
Box pews, an extremely rare 17th-century survival, crafted to match the panelling. Some bear early graffiti and original carved numbers. The scrolled ends are cut from single timbers, with doors still on their original hinges.
Heavily carved oak font attributed to Bates, one of the carpenters identified in Hooke’s Diary as working for him on Willen church.
© Oxford Heritage Partnership
The plaster ceiling decorated, gilded and with the date 1680 divided across two gilded Shields.
Example of the church ceiling. Photo — Simon Wright
Collegiate-style choir stalls and an oak pulpit with marquetry panels.
Ring of three bells, cast in 1683 by Richard Chandler, silenced by deterioration of their oak frame. Rehung in 2023 on a steel frame, they are now sounded using electromagnetic hammers.
© willenchurch.org
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Visiting
St Mary Magdalene is open all day on Mondays, for services and events, and by appointment at other times.
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Worship
St Mary Magdalene Willen is a partner in Stantonbury Ecumenical Partnership.
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Parking
The church has a free car park nearby on Milton Road. If parking in the village, please do so considerately - our neighbours will appreciate it.
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Amenities
There is currently no toilet on site. If you’d like to support future improvements, donations are warmly welcomed.