Church of St Mary Magdalene

The Church of St Mary Magdalene stands in the village of Willen, part of Milton Keynes in Buckinghamshire. Built in 1680, it was designed by Robert Hooke, a scientist, inventor and architect. The church replaced an older building on the same site and was commissioned by Richard Busby, headmaster of Westminster School and local lord of the manor. In the 19th century the cupola was removed from the tower and an apse added to the nave. The church is listed Grade I for its historical and architectural importance. The church’s origins lie in Busby’s wish to create a fitting place of worship for the village. Hooke, a former pupil of Busby’s, oversaw the project which cost nearly £5,000 and took two years to complete. Parish registers began in 1665, before the new church was finished. George Lipscomb later criticised the cost, suggesting careful management could have cut it by two-thirds. The changes of the 19th century altered Hooke’s original design. Inside, the nave leads to the apse added in the 19th century. The tower no longer carries its original cupola. The simple nave and decorative tower were meant to work together, but the later alterations broke that harmony. The church remains a quiet place in the village, its history recorded in the old registers. Visitors can still see the marks of Busby’s vision and Hooke’s craftsmanship.