# Willen > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Willen > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Willen.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willen > Source revision: 1325177846 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|District of Milton Keynes, England}} {{About|the United Kingdom district|other uses|Willen (disambiguation)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}} {{Use British English|date=June 2025}} {{Infobox UK place |country = England |official_name = Willen |civil_parish = [Campbell Park](/source/Campbell_Park_(civil_parish)) |unitary_england = [Milton Keynes](/source/Milton_Keynes_(borough)) |lieutenancy_england = [Buckinghamshire](/source/Buckinghamshire) |region = South East England |constituency_westminster = [Milton Keynes North](/source/Milton_Keynes_North_(UK_Parliament_constituency)) |post_town = MILTON KEYNES |postcode_area = MK |postcode_district = MK15 |dial_code = 01908 |coordinates = {{coord|52.06311|-0.71922|display=inline,title}} |os_grid_reference = SP877413 |static_image_name = Milton-keynes-peace-pagoda.jpg |static_image_caption = The Peace Pagoda (Stupa) |population = |population_ref = | mapframe = yes | mapframe-zoom = 13 | mapframe-wikidata = yes | mapframe-point = on }} '''Willen''' is a district of [Milton Keynes](/source/Milton_Keynes), [England](/source/England) and is also one of the ancient villages of [Buckinghamshire](/source/Buckinghamshire) to have been included in the [designated area of the New City in 1967](/source/History_of_Milton_Keynes). The original village is now a small but important part of the larger district that contains it and to which it gives its name. It is in the [civil parish](/source/civil_parish) of [Campbell Park](/source/Campbell_Park_(civil_parish)). ==History== The village was first recorded as ''Wilinges'' (12th century) and later as ''Wylie'', ''Wilies'' (13th century); ''Wilne'', ''Wylyene'' (14th century); and ''Wyllyen'', ''Wyllyn'' (15th century). Willen is not recorded by name in the Domesday Survey, but it can be identified with the 4 hides 1 virgate assessed under [Caldecote](/source/Caldecote%2C_Buckinghamshire), part of the neighbouring parish of [Moulsoe](/source/Moulsoe), and held under the Count of Mortain by Alvered.{{cite book |chapter-url= https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/bucks/vol4/pp502-505 | chapter = Parishes : Willen |series = [Victoria History of the Counties of England](/source/Victoria_History_of_the_Counties_of_England) | title= A History of the County of Buckingham | volume= 4 | date=1927 | pages = 502{{ndash}}505 |editor= William Page |publisher= [Constable & Co. Ltd.](/source/Constable_%26_Robinson) | location = London }} The name Willen is probably from Anglo-Saxon or Old English meaning (at the) 'willows',{{cite web |title=Key to English place names: Willen, Buckinghamshire |url=http://kepn.nottingham.ac.uk/map/place/Buckinghamshire/Willen |publisher=Institute for Name-Studies, [University of Nottingham](/source/University_of_Nottingham) |access-date=14 January 2020}} the adjacent [River Ouzel](/source/River_Ouzel) meanders through land ideal for willows. In 1931 the civil parish had a population of 57.{{cite web|url=https://visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10093582/cube/TOT_POP|title=Population statistics Willen CP/AP through time|publisher=[A Vision of Britain through Time](/source/A_Vision_of_Britain_through_Time)|accessdate=20 March 2024}} On 1 April 1934 the parish was abolished and merged with Great and Little Woolstone to form "Woolstone cum Willen".{{cite web|url=https://visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10082298|title=Relationships and changes Willen CP/AP through time|publisher=A Vision of Britain through Time|accessdate=20 March 2024}}{{cite web | url=http://www.campbell-park.gov.uk/cp-parish/parish-stories/story-campbell-park-parish-council | title=The Story of Campbell Park Parish Council | url-status=dead | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100415063205/http://www.campbell-park.gov.uk/cp-parish/parish-stories/story-campbell-park-parish-council | archivedate=15 April 2010 | df=dmy-all }} ==Environment and amenities== thumb|left|Church of St Mary Magdalene, Willen (designed by Robert Hooke) ===Religious=== The parish [church of St Mary Magdalene](/source/church_of_St_Mary_Magdalene%2C_Willen) (1680), designed by the architect and physicist [Robert Hooke](/source/Robert_Hooke), is a classic of the early [English Baroque](/source/English_Baroque) period and is [listed at Grade I](/source/listed_building).{{NHLE|num=1160998|desc=Church of St Mary Magdalene}} Further around the lake, there is a [Buddhist](/source/Buddhist) temple and [monastery](/source/monastery), together with a large [stupa](/source/stupa), the [Milton Keynes Peace Pagoda](/source/Milton_Keynes_Peace_Pagoda) built in 1980 by the monks and nuns of the [Nipponzan-Myōhōji](/source/Nipponzan-My%C5%8Dh%C5%8Dji). It was the first to be built in the western hemisphere.{{cite web |url=https://www.theparkstrust.com/our-work/public-art-in-our-parks/public-art-at-newlands-and-willen-lake/peace-pagoda/ |title = Peace Pagoda | publisher=[Milton Keynes Parks Trust](/source/Milton_Keynes_Parks_Trust) | accessdate=17 February 2019 }} There is a grass [labyrinth](/source/labyrinth) nearby. St Michael's Priory is small [Benedictine](/source/Benedictine) house in the village.[https://www.stmichaelspriory.org.uk/ St Michael's Priory] ===Willen Hospice=== Overlooking the lake, Willen Hospice provides specialist care for people whose illness no longer responds to curative treatment (also known as specialist [palliative care](/source/palliative_care)).[https://www.willen-hospice.org.uk/about-us About us] (Willen Hospice) ===Willen Lake=== {{more|Balancing lake#Case study: Willen Lake, Milton Keynes|Willen Lake}}One of the more important features of the district is a large [balancing lake](/source/balancing_lake) on the [River Ouzel](/source/River_Ouzel), designed to capture [flash flood](/source/flash_flood)s lest they cause problems down stream. The lake is split into two halves. The north lake is a wild-life sanctuary and a favourite of migrating aquatic birds, overlooked by the Peace Pagoda and the Hospice. The south lake is for leisure use, with a full watersports and boat hire centre, as well as inflatable aqua park and wakeboarding facility. There are many paths around the lake suitable for walking, running or cycling. The south lake also comprises a children's splash park and a high ropes course, as well as playing host to various events throughout the year. ====Bird Life==== In its history, many rare and scarce migrating birds have turned up on the north side of the lake. The island is primarily for bird life. Many common bird species breed on the [spit](/source/spit_(landform)) that can be viewed from the only hide on the lake, the north hide. ===Sports=== The district is also home to Willen Cricket Club and to Willen Juniors FC, who both play at Willen Fields on Portland Drive. ==References== {{reflist}} ==External links== {{Commons category|Willen}} * {{oscoor gbx|SP879413}} *[http://www.mkbuddhism.org.uk/ The official website for the Milton Keynes Peace Pagoda] *[http://www.peterloud.co.uk/photos/MK_Churches/Willen/Willen_Photos.html Photographs and a panoramic virtual tour of Willen Church] by Peter Loud {{authority control}} Category:Villages in Buckinghamshire Category:Areas of Milton Keynes Category:Former civil parishes in Buckinghamshire Willen Church Category:Parks and open spaces in the Borough of Milton Keynes --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Willen](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willen) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willen?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.