Did you know that...
Muswell Hill name derives from Mossy Well, a natural spring. During the Middle Ages, Muswell Hill was a popular spot for pilgrims that came to see the natural spring that was believed to have healing properties. Legend has it that King Malcolm IV of Scotland drank from this spring and was miraculously cured. River Moselle takes its name from the area. Until 1950, the area was called Muzzle Hill.
Alexandra Palace in Muswell Hill was opened in 1873. This entertainment venue is a Grade II listed building. Most notable events include the 1994 Blur concert, 1996 MTV Europe Music Awards, 2000 Mind Sports Olympiad, and 2016 The X Factor show. Alexandra Palace with its spiky transmission tower on the eastern part of the building is the birthplace of television and home to the BBC’s first public television broadcasts in 1935.
Singer Adam Ant of Adam and the Ants band, New York Times Bestselling author Ralph Lazar, children book illustrator Jane Ray, actor Crispin Bonham-Carter, actress Sue Johnston, singer Tony Hadley, artist Vivian Stanshall, and writer Barry Took are among the most famous people who lived in Muswell Hill.
Muswell Hill is the place where The Kinks, a British rock band, was formed in the ’60s by Ray and Dave Davies and Pete Quaife. These musicians are considered to found one of the most influential rock groups of the era. The Davies’ old residence on Denmark Terrace street is a popular tourist attraction among rock music fans.
Muswell Hill, as a suburban and low-rise urban district, has its charm and maintains its historic character with most of the original facades preserved.
The very first pub of Wetherspoon, a pub company owning just under 1,000 outlets in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, was opened in 1979 on Colney Hatch Lane in Muswell Hill by Tim Martin.
Muswell Hill is home to the Children’s Bookshop, which is an award-winning and very popular with authors shop, definitely worth a visit.