Editing Muswell Hill

{{Short description|Suburb in north London, England}}
{{distinguish|Muswell Hill, Buckinghamshire}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2015}}
{{Use British English|date=September 2015}}
{{Infobox UK place
| official_name            = Muswell Hill
| country                  = England
| region                   = London
| static_image_name        = Muswell hill broadway.jpg
| static_image_caption     = Muswell Hill Broadway
| os_grid_reference        = TQ287897
| coordinates              = {{coord|51.592|-0.143|display=inline,title}}
| post_town                = LONDON
| postcode_area            = N
| postcode_district        = N10
| dial_code                = 020
| constituency_westminster = [[Hornsey and Friern Barnet (UK Parliament constituency)|Hornsey and Friern Barnet]]
| london_borough           = Haringey
| london_borough1          = Barnet
}}
'''Muswell Hill''' is a suburban district of the [[London Borough of Haringey]], [[north London]].  The hill, which reaches over {{cvt|100|m|ft}} above sea level, is situated {{convert|5+1/2|mi|km|0|abbr=off}} north of Charing Cross. 

Neighbouring areas include [[Highgate, London|Highgate]], [[Hampstead Garden Suburb]], [[East Finchley]] and [[Crouch End]]. It has many streets with [[Edwardian architecture]].

== History ==
[[File:Mus h.jpg|thumb|left|View looking south east towards [[Canary Wharf]]]]
The earliest records of Muswell Hill date from the 12th century. The [[Bishop of London]], who was the Lord of the Manor of Haringey,<ref>[[Harringay]], [[Haringey]] and [[Hornsey]] were used interchangeably in this period. For further information see [[History of Harringay]]</ref> owned the area and granted {{cvt|26|ha|acre}}, located to the east of Colney Hatch Lane, to a newly formed order of nuns. The nuns built a chapel on the site and called it Our Lady of Muswell.

The name ''Muswell'' is believed to come from a natural spring or well (the "Mossy Well"), said to have miraculous properties. A traditional story tells that Scottish king [[Malcolm IV]] was cured of [[disease]] after drinking the water.  The area became a place of pilgrimage for healing during medieval times.<ref>Muswell Hill Manor in [[Oxfordshire]] was said to be owned by the [[King of Scotland]] in the 12th century.</ref> The [[River Moselle (London)|River Moselle]], which has its source in Muswell Hill and Highgate, derives its name from this district; it was originally known as the ''Mosa'' or ''Mosella''.<ref>Albert Pinching & David Bell, ''[https://hornseyhistorical.org.uk/haringeys-hidden-streams-revealed/ Haringey's Hidden Streams Revealed]'', 2005</ref><ref>The earliest known description of the river is given by the Tottenham historian Rev William Bedwell (1561 - 1632) who used these two variants in 1631 in William Bedwell, ''A Briefe Description of the Town of Tottenham Highcrosse in Middlesex'', 1631.</ref> Until the 1950s, the town's name was often pronounced "Muzzle Hill".<ref>{{cite book|last=Robbins|first=Michael|title=Middlesex|publisher=The History Press|edition=2003|page=313}}</ref>

In the 18th century Muswell Hill was a scattered village consisting mainly of detached villas with large gardens.<ref>Brewer, Beauties of Eng. & Wales, x (5), 213; Ambulator (1820)</ref>  In 1787 one commentator wrote that nowhere within {{convert|100|mi|km}} of London was there a village so pleasant or with such varied views.<ref>Ambulator (1787)</ref>  Little had changed by the middle of the 19th century. One of the houses of the time was ''The Limes''. This house occupied the angle of Muswell Hill Road with Colney Hatch Lane and was a three-storeyed house with portico and two-storeyed wing approached by a double carriage drive through impressive gateways. The large grounds of the house extended to Tetherdown and included a lake.<ref>J. Keane, Beauties of Mdx. (1850), 148-9; Hornsey libr., N. Mdx. Photo. Soc. no. 632.</ref>  Opposite ''The Limes'' was Muswell Hill pond and beyond that the ''Green Man'' inn, built of stone.<ref>Postcard in Hornsey libr.</ref>

Further down the hill past the ''Green Man'' was ''The Elms'', a squat three-storeyed house later improved by [[Thomas Cubitt]] standing in {{cvt|4.5|ha|acre}}, part of the grounds of which were laid out by [[Sir Joseph Paxton|Joseph Paxton]].<ref>B.L. Maps Dept., sales parts. (1880).</ref> A short distance down the north side of Muswell Hill was ''The Grove'', which was three storeys high and had nine bays with pedimented projections at each end.<ref>''A History of the County of Middlesex''; by T. F. T. Baker, C. R. Elrington (editors), A. P. Baggs, Diane K. Bolton, M. A. Hicks, R. B. Pugh. p.  33</ref>  It stood in {{cvt|3.2|ha|acre}} of grounds which contained a {{cvt|184|m|yd}} avenue of oaks. In 1774 the house was occupied by [[Topham Beauclerk]].<ref>Keane, Beauties of Mdx. 239-41; Hornsey Hist. Soc. Bull. Sept. 1975; M.L.R. 1779/5/494; M.R.O., MR/DE Hornsey; Ambulator (1787 and later edns.)</ref>

===19th century===
A little farther down the hill stood ''Grove Lodge'', also in wooded grounds.<ref>C. Nicholson, Scraps of Hist. of a Northern Suburb of Lond. (1879), 16; sales parts. (1939) in Hornsey libr.</ref>  Altogether there were eight properties in Muswell Hill worthy of note in 1817.<ref>Hassell, Rides and Walks, i. 194.</ref>
[[File:Muswell hill odeon.jpg|thumb|The former Odeon cinema, now an [[Everyman Cinemas|Everyman]], in Muswell Hill is a Grade II* [[Listed Building]]]]

Parallel with Muswell Hill was a track known as St James's Lane which ran across a triangle of wasteland. By the middle of the 19th century houses were already dispersed along the lane at the foot of which was ''Lalla Rookh'', a two-storeyed villa with a wide verandah.<ref>Thorne, Environs, 443-4.</ref>  Other buildings there were apparently cottages or huts, both single and in terraces.<ref>Photos. (1935) in Hornsey libr.; Hornsey Boro. Ann. Rep. of M.O.H. (1930); see also Sherington, Story of Hornsey, 42</ref>

It was not until the end of the 19th century that Muswell Hill began to be developed more densely from a collection of country houses to the London village that it is today. The development was spurred by the opening in 1873 of [[Alexandra Palace]], a massive pleasure pavilion built on the most easterly of north London's gravel hills and intended as the counterpart to the [[The Crystal Palace|Crystal Palace]] on Sydenham Hill in south London. Alexandra Palace was served by a [[Muswell Hill railway station|branchline railway]] from Highgate, with an intermediary station at Muswell Hill (see below). The foot of Alexandra Palace was served by another rail network with connecting services to Finsbury Park and Kings Cross stations.

===20th century===
Most development was initiated in the early 20th century when the current street pattern was set out and elegant Edwardian retail parades were constructed. The shopping centre is based on roads that form three sides of a square: Fortis Green Road, Muswell Hill Broadway and the extension of the Broadway into Colney Hatch Lane. At each node point is a church: United Reformed, Church of England, Methodist, and Roman Catholic. One of the nodes, opposite St James's CoE, was also the site of the ''Athenaeum'' music hall (later demolished with the site redeveloped as a supermarket), opposite which a surviving [[art deco]] Odeon cinema was built in the 1930s. The site of the Ritz, a cinema formerly at the top of Muswell Hill on the next node to the east, has been redeveloped as offices.

Until the mid-20th century there was a rail branch line, the [[Muswell Hill Railway]], from [[Highgate]] which passed through Muswell Hill, terminating at a station at [[Alexandra Palace railway station (Muswell Hill branch)|Alexandra Palace]]. It was intended under the [[Northern Heights plan]] to integrate this into the [[London Underground]] [[Northern line]]; some contemporary [[tube map]]s (e.g. the [http://www.clarksbury.com/cdl/maps/tube48.jpg 1948 map]) showed the line as being under construction.  However, this plan was cancelled after the Second World War, and the railway line was abandoned in 1954. The line was later converted to become the [[Parkland Walk]].

In 1964, three young Muswell Hill residents, the brothers Ray and Dave Davies and Pete Quaife, formed [[The Kinks]]. Categorised in the United States as a British Invasion band, the Kinks are recognised as one of the most important and influential rock groups of the era. The Davies parents’ home at 6 Denmark Terrace, Fortis Green, remains a magnet for rock music tourists.

In 1950, Paul Andrew Smith, was born in Muswell Hill at 12 Crown Road, and later became a founding member of the band Wednesday, formed in 1967. Their record success included the chart topping hit, Last Kiss followed by a series of top ten records in Canada, Australia and the USA.
They earned several Juno nominations, a Maple Leaf Award, Gold record award and was nominated into the Hall of Fame with a lifetime achievement in 2022.

In 1979 [[Wetherspoons]] opened their first pub, on [[Colney Hatch]] Lane.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/news_detail.aspx?articleid=2891 |title=Refurb for Tim Martin's first outlet | work = Property News |publisher=Morning Advertiser |access-date=2010-02-26}}</ref>

In November 2016, the shop 'Really British' opened on Muswell Hill broadway.<ref>{{Cite web|title='Really British' shop owner selling UK-themed souvenirs accused of racism|website=[[Independent.co.uk]] |date=8 December 2016 |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/really-british-shop-owner-racism-accusations-london-muswell-hill-a7463756.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220618/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/really-british-shop-owner-racism-accusations-london-muswell-hill-a7463756.html |archive-date=18 June 2022 |url-access=subscription|url-status=live}}</ref> The shop owner was accused of racism, with local residents threatening to stage a protest, with more practising a boycott.<ref>{{Cite web|title='Really British' shop owner selling souvenirs accused of racism by neighbours|date=9 December 2016 |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/muswell-hill-novelty-gift-shop-owner-accused-of-racism-for-selling-britishthemed-wares-a3415201.html}}</ref>

In March 2013 and June 2020 Muswell Hill was named one of the five most desirable places to live in London in the ''[[Sunday Times]]'' "Best Places To Live" guide.

==Administration and representation==
The hill was part of the Bishop of London's Manor of Hornsey, an area served from the medieval period by the [[civil parish#Ancient parishes|ancient parish]] of [[Hornsey]]. Parishes were originally ecclesiastic in purpose, but from the Tudor era onwards had a civic as well as ecclesiastical purpose.

In 1903, the area of the [[Hornsey (parish)|civil parish of Hornsey]] became the [[Municipal Borough of Hornsey]], within the  administrative county of [[Middlesex]]. Then in 1965 Hornsey merged with [[Tottenham]] and [[Wood Green]] to form the modern [[London Borough of Haringey]].

Northern parts of the N10 postal area, sometimes also regarded as part of Muswell Hill, were part of the parish of [[Friern Barnet]], which subsequently became [[Friern Barnet Urban District]] before becoming part of the [[London Borough of Barnet]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.barnet.gov.uk/citizen-home/libraries/local-studies-and-archives/pocket-histories/finchley-friern-barnet-and-totteridge/south-friern-finchley-n10.html |title=South Friern (Finchley N10) |publisher=barnet.gov.uk |access-date=2016-09-07}}</ref>

The area is in the [[Hornsey and Friern Barnet (UK Parliament constituency)|Hornsey and Friern Barnet parliamentary constituency]].

==Geography==
Close to Alexandra Park and Highgate Woods, Muswell Hill is a mainly Edwardian north London suburb. Muswell Hill Broadway and Fortis Green Road, the main shopping streets, still maintain their historic character with most of the original facades preserved above street level. The area has a synagogue and six churches, one of which has been converted into a steak house.

{{Geographic Location
|title     = '''Neighbouring areas'''
|Northwest = [[Finchley]]
|North     = [[Colney Hatch]]
|Northeast = [[Alexandra Park, London|Alexandra Park]]
|West      = [[East Finchley]] 
|Centre    = Muswell Hill
|East      = [[Hornsey]]
|Southwest = [[Hampstead]]
|South     = [[Highgate]]
|Southeast = [[Crouch End]]
}}

==Education==
{{main|London Borough of Haringey#Education|l1=Education Section: London Borough of Haringey}}

=== Primary schools ===
* Coppetts Wood Primary School and Children's Centre
* Coldfall Primary School
* [[Eden Primary]]
* Hollickwood JMI School
* Muswell Hill Primary School
* Norfolk House Preparatory
* Our Lady of Muswell RC Primary School
* Rhodes Avenue Primary School
* St James C of E Primary School
* Tetherdown Primary School

=== Secondary schools ===

* [[Alexandra Park School]]
* [[Fortismere School]]

=== Special schools ===

* Blanche Nevile School. A school for deaf and hearing impaired children, based on the sites of Highgate Primary School and [[Fortismere School]].
* [[TreeHouse School]], based at the Pears National Centre For Autism Education.

==Transport==

=== Rail ===
Muswell Hill is not directly served by a [[London Underground|tube]] or [[National Rail]] station.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://content.tfl.gov.uk/london-rail-and-tube-services-map.pdf|title=London's Rail & Tube Services|website=[[Transport for London]] (TfL)|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190610232441/http://content.tfl.gov.uk/london-rail-and-tube-services-map.pdf|archive-date=June 10, 2019}}</ref>

Nearby tube stations include [[Bounds Green tube station|Bounds Green]] ({{Rint|london|piccadilly}}), [[East Finchley tube station|East Finchley]] ({{Rint|london|northern}}), [[Finsbury Park station|Finsbury Park]] ({{Rint|london|piccadilly}} {{Rint|london|victoria}} {{Rail-interchange|gb|rail}}), [[Highgate tube station|Highgate]] ({{Rint|london|northern}}), [[Turnpike Lane tube station|Turnpike Lane]] ({{Rint|london|piccadilly}}) and [[Wood Green tube station|Wood Green]] ({{Rint|london|piccadilly}}).

National Rail ({{Rint|london|rail}}) services pass to the east of Muswell Hill, calling at [[Alexandra Palace railway station|Alexandra Palace]], [[Hornsey railway station|Hornsey]] and [[Finsbury Park station|Finsbury Park]]. Trains are operated by [[Thameslink, Southern and Great Northern franchise|Great Northern]] and [[Thameslink, Southern and Great Northern franchise|Thameslink]] to destinations such as [[Moorgate station|Moorgate]], [[Enfield, London|Enfield]] and [[Welwyn Garden City railway station|Welwyn Garden City]]. To the south of Muswell Hill, London Overground ({{Rint|london|overground|goblin}}) trains serve [[Crouch Hill railway station|Crouch Hill]] station between [[Gospel Oak railway station|Gospel Oak]] and [[Barking station|Barking]], via [[South Tottenham railway station|South Tottenham]].

=== Bus ===
Muswell Hill Broadway and Muswell Hill West are both served by London Buses, providing the area with a direct connection to the [[City of London]] and the [[West End of London|West End]]. Buses also serve nearby stations.
{| class="wikitable"
|+List of bus routes from Muswell Hill
!Route Number
!Start
!End
!Key Destinations
|-
|[[List of bus routes in London|43]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://tfl.gov.uk/bus/route/43/|title=43|website=[[Transport for London]] (TfL)}}</ref>
|[[Friern Barnet]]
|[[London Bridge]]
|[[Highgate]] ({{Rint|london|northern}}), [[Archway, London|Archway]], [[Islington]], [[Angel, London|Angel]], [[City of London]], [[Bank and Monument stations|Bank]]
|-
|[[List of bus routes in London|102]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://tfl.gov.uk/bus/route/102/|title=102|website=[[Transport for London]] (TfL)|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190805223404/https://tfl.gov.uk/bus/route/102/|archive-date=August 5, 2019}}</ref>
|[[Brent Cross]]
|[[Edmonton Green Shopping Centre|Edmonton Green]]
|[[Bounds Green]] ({{Rint|london|piccadilly}}), [[East Finchley]] ({{Rint|london|northern}}), [[Golders Green]]
|-
|[[London Buses route 134|134]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://tfl.gov.uk/bus/route/134/|title=134|website=[[Transport for London]] (TfL)|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190718200738/https://tfl.gov.uk/bus/route/134/|archive-date=July 18, 2019}}</ref>
|[[North Finchley]]
|[[Warren Street]]
|Highgate ({{Rint|london|northern}}), Archway, [[Kentish Town]], [[Camden Town]]
|-
|[[List of bus routes in London|144]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://tfl.gov.uk/bus/route/144/|title=144|website=[[Transport for London]] (TfL)|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190805223703/https://tfl.gov.uk/bus/route/144/|archive-date=August 5, 2019}}</ref>
|Muswell Hill
|Edmonton Green
|[[Wood Green]]
|-
|[[List of bus routes in London|234]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://tfl.gov.uk/bus/route/234/|title=234|website=[[Transport for London]] (TfL)|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190805224055/https://tfl.gov.uk/bus/route/234/|archive-date=August 5, 2019}}</ref>
|[[Chipping Barnet|Barnet]]
|[[Archway, London|Archway]]
|East Finchley ({{Rint|london|northern}})
|-
|[[London Buses route 299|299]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://tfl.gov.uk/bus/route/299/|title=299|website=[[Transport for London]] (TfL)|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190805224209/https://tfl.gov.uk/bus/route/299/|archive-date=August 5, 2019}}</ref>
|Muswell Hill
|[[Cockfosters]]
|Bounds Green ({{Rint|london|piccadilly}}), [[Southgate, London|Southgate]]
|-
|[[London Buses route 634|634]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://tfl.gov.uk/bus/route/634/|title=634|website=[[Transport for London]] (TfL)|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190805224344/https://tfl.gov.uk/bus/route/634/|archive-date=August 5, 2019}}</ref>
|Muswell Hill
|Barnet
|[[Whetstone, London|Whetstone]]
|-
|[[London buses route W3|W3]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://tfl.gov.uk/bus/route/W3/|title=W3|website=[[Transport for London]] (TfL)|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190805224516/https://tfl.gov.uk/bus/route/W3/|archive-date=August 5, 2019}}</ref>
|[[Finsbury Park (area)|Finsbury Park]] ({{Rint|london|piccadilly}} {{Rint|london|victoria}} {{Rail-interchange|gb|rail}})
|[[Northumberland Park, London|Northumberland Park]]
|[[Alexandra Palace]], [[Alexandra Palace railway station|Alexandra Palace]] ({{Rint|london|rail}}), Wood Green, [[Tottenham]]
|-
|[[London Buses route W7|W7]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://tfl.gov.uk/bus/route/W7/|title=W7|website=[[Transport for London]] (TfL)|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190805224707/https://tfl.gov.uk/bus/route/W7/|archive-date=August 5, 2019}}</ref>
|Muswell Hill
|Finsbury Park ({{Rint|london|piccadilly}} {{Rint|london|victoria}} {{Rail-interchange|gb|rail}})
|[[Crouch End]], [[Crouch Hill]] ({{Rint|london|overground|goblin}})
|}

=== Road ===
The [[A504 road|A504]] passes east–west through Muswell Hill. Eastbound traffic is carried towards [[Hornsey]], [[Wood Green]] and [[A10 road (England)|the A10]]. Westbound destinations include [[East Finchley]], [[Hendon]] and [[M1 motorway|the M1]].

The [[A1201 road|A1201]] terminates at Muswell Hill. Southbound destinations along this route include [[Crouch Hill]], [[Finsbury Park (area)|Finsbury Park]] and [[Highbury]].

Highgate is to the south of the district and can be reached via Muswell Hill Road. To the north, [[Colney Hatch]], [[Friern Barnet]] and [[Whetstone, London|Whetstone]] can be reached via Colney Hatch Lane. Both routes are numbered [[B roads in Zone 5 of the Great Britain numbering scheme|B550]].

The [[A1 road (Great Britain)|A1]] passes to the south of Muswell Hill, carrying traffic southbound towards [[Archway, London|Archway]], [[Islington]] and the [[City of London]]. To the north, the route crosses the [[North Circular Road, London|North Circular Road]] (A406), and traffic can reach destinations such as [[Mill Hill]], [[Watford]], [[Stevenage]] and [[Peterborough]].

[[Cycling infrastructure]] in Muswell Hill is limited. The now-defunct [[London Cycle Network]] developed two signposted routes through Muswell Hill:

* '''Route 6''' – an incomplete but signposted route from [[Chipping Barnet|Barnet]] to [[Central London]], passing through the Broadway on main roads.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.openstreetmap.org/|title=OpenStreetMap|website=OpenStreetMap|language=en|access-date=2019-08-05}}</ref>
* '''Route 54''' – an unbroken but signposted route to [[Walthamstow]] via [[Tottenham]] following main roads. Between [[Highgate Wood]] and [[Alexandra Palace]], the route skirts around the southeastern edge of Muswell Hill on a traffic-free [[Shared use path|shared-use path]].<ref name=":0" />

=== Campaigns ===
The Muswell Hill [[Public transport|Metro]] Group campaigns to reinstate a [[Edgware, Highgate and London Railway|historic railway line]] which ran between Alexandra Palace and Finsbury Park, via Muswell Hill. The group says that the line would relieve congestion on local roads and that an electric railway would improve local air quality.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://muswellhillmetrogroup.com/proposals.html|title=the proposal|website=Muswell Hill Metro Group|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190805232843/http://muswellhillmetrogroup.com/proposals.html|archive-date=August 5, 2019}}</ref>

The [[London Cycling Campaign|Haringey Cycling Campaign]] is a local cycling lobby group.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.haringeycyclists.org/|title=Haringey Cycling Campaign|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190103051409/http://www.haringeycyclists.org/|archive-date=January 3, 2019}}</ref>

==Demography==
The 2011 census showed that the N10 postal area (including parts of [[Friern Barnet]]) had a population of 27,992 in the 2011 census.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/about-ons/business-transparency/freedom-of-information/previous-foi-requests/people--population-and-community/population-for-every-postcode-district-in-england-and-wales/index.html |title=[ARCHIVED CONTENT&#93; UK Government Web Archive – The National Archives |publisher=Ons.gov.uk |access-date=2016-09-07}}</ref>

The same census showed that in the much smaller Muswell Hill electoral ward of the London Borough of Haringey, 84% of the population was white (65% British, 16% Other, 3% Irish). 40% were irreligious and Christian each, while the Jewish population stood at 5.3%.<ref>{{cite web |author=Good Stuff IT Services |url=http://www.ukcensusdata.com/muswell-hill-e05000274 |title=Muswell Hill - UK Census Data 2011 |publisher=Ukcensusdata.com |access-date=2016-09-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170102041925/http://www.ukcensusdata.com/muswell-hill-e05000274 |archive-date=2 January 2017 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Places of interest==
* [[Alexandra Palace]]
* [[Alexandra Park, London|Alexandra Park]]
* [[Golf Course Allotments]] (the largest allotment site in the area)
* The [[Guy Chester Centre]] of the [[Methodist]] church
* Oliver Tambo Memorial Statue at the Albert Road Recreation Ground
* Muswell Hill United Synagogue
* The Furlong pub in Colney Hatch Lane was the first ever [[Wetherspoons]] pub, under the name "Martin’s Free House"
* [[St James's Church Hall]] – historic church hall located in Muswell Hill

==Cultural references==
{{in popular culture|section|date=January 2022}} 

* In the war romance film ''[[The Americanization of Emily]]'' (1964), Emily's mother lives in a house in Dukes Avenue. Exterior shots show Alexandra Palace in the background.
* In the 1970s BBC TV comedy series ''[[Porridge (1974 TV series)|Porridge]]'', the principal character, [[Norman Stanley Fletcher]], played by [[Ronnie Barker]], hailed from Muswell Hill. External shots of Fletcher's house in [[Going Straight]] were filmed in Lauradale Road.
* [[The Kinks]] recorded the 1971 LP ''[[Muswell Hillbillies]]'', which included the song "[[Muswell Hillbilly]]".
* The Yorkshire Television sitcom ''[[That's My Boy (1981 TV series)|That's My Boy]]'' (1981–1986), starring [[Mollie Sugden]] and [[Christopher Blake]], made frequent references to Muswell Hill, as the family lived in the area throughout the first four seasons.
* Series one of the 1993 sitcom ''[[Sean's Show]]'' is set in Muswell Hill.<ref>{{cite web|title=Sean's Show|url=http://www.channel4.com/programmes/seans-show/4od|publisher=Channel 4|access-date=9 August 2013}}</ref>
* The ''[[Doctor Who]]'' episode "[[The Idiot's Lantern]]" (2006) is set in Muswell Hill, during Queen Elizabeth II's coronation in 1953.
* The [[Madness (band)|Madness]] song "Driving in My Car" includes the line "I've been far, I drive up to Muswell Hill".<ref>{{cite web|title=Driving In My Car|url=http://www.lyricsty.com/madness-driving-in-my-car-lyrics.html|access-date=19 March 2018}}</ref>
* ''Muswell Hill'' is a 2012 [[Torben Betts]] play<ref>{{Cite book |last=Betts |first=Torben |url=https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008FLAHBS |title=Muswell Hill |date=2012-06-18 |publisher=Oberon Books |language=English}}</ref> which "hold[s] a mirror up to middle-class delusion".<ref>{{Cite web |title=Muswell Hill {{!}} TheaterMania |url=https://www.theatermania.com/off-broadway/reviews/muswell-hill_83222.html |access-date=2022-07-09 |website=www.theatermania.com |date=20 November 2017 |language=en-US}}</ref>

==People from Muswell Hill==
{{sources|section|date=January 2022}}

:''See [[:Category:People from Muswell Hill|People from Muswell Hill]] and [[:Category:People from Fortis Green|People from Fortis Green]] categories''.

Singer-songwriter [[Rose Gray (singer)|Rose Gray]] was born in Muswell Hill on 31 December 1996.<ref>{{cite news |title=Who Is Rose Gray? - All About Harris Dickinson's Girlfriend |url=https://www.elle.com/culture/celebrities/a63175278/who-is-harris-dickinson-girlfriend-rose-gray/ |access-date=21 January 2025 |work=[[Elle (magazine)|Elle]] |archive-date=20 January 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250120083032/https://www.elle.com/culture/celebrities/a63175278/who-is-harris-dickinson-girlfriend-rose-gray/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[John Logie Baird]] was the first person to transmit moving pictures, now called television. The first public broadcasts were from nearby Alexandra Palace before WW2. His scanning, rotating disc system was later replaced by a more modern electronic system. The former John Baird pub, now the Village Green, in Fortis Green Road was named after him.

Musicians [[Ray Davies|Ray]] and [[Dave Davies]], founding members of [[The Kinks]], grew up in Muswell Hill, the album title ''[[Muswell Hillbillies]]'' being an obvious reference to their youth. They allegedly played their first ever gig in the Clissold Arms in Fortis Green.

Musician [[Michael Kiwanuka]] was born and raised in Muswell Hill; he was the winner of the [[Mercury Prize]] 2020 for his album ''[[Kiwanuka (album)|Kiwanuka]]'' and a nominee for the 2021 63rd [[Grammy Award for Best Rock Album]]. His album ''[[Love & Hate (Michael Kiwanuka album)|Love & Hate]]'' went to Number 1 on the UK albums chart in 2016.

Former KGB agent [[Alexander Litvinenko]] lived in Muswell Hill from his exile in 2000 until his assassination in 2006.

The group [[Fairport Convention]] started in the Muswell Hill family home of [[Simon Nicol]]. The house, Fairport, is on the south side of Fortis Green near the junction with Tetherdown and Fortis Green Road.

The serial killer and necrophile [[Dennis Nilsen]] committed his later murders in his Cranley Gardens flat in Muswell Hill and became known as the "Muswell Hill Murderer". 

A resident for a short time in Muswell Hill was the Russian-born England [[Rugby union]] star [[Prince Alexander Obolensky]], who died in [[Suffolk]] in an aircraft accident in 1940 while training as an RAF pilot.

Philip Martell, musical director for Hammer House of Horrors, lived in Woodland Gardens

Musician, author, poet, wit and great English eccentric [[Vivian Stanshall]] lived his final years in Muswell Hill, dying in a fire in his Hillfield Park flat in 1995.

Poet [[Michael Wayne Rosen]], known for his children's stories and communist roots, is currently resident in this area.

Composer [[Daniel Blumberg]], known for his Oscar winning score for ''[[The Brutalist]]'', grew up in Muswell Hill.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Anonymous |date=2010-04-08 |title=An indie band that's Yuck, but in a good way |url=https://www.thejc.com/life/music/an-indie-band-thats-yuck-but-in-a-good-way-dxnfj8ep |access-date=2025-03-03 |website=The Jewish Chronicle |language=en}}</ref>

==Nearest places==
* [[Colney Hatch]]
* [[Crouch End]]
* [[East Finchley]] 
* [[Friern Barnet]]
* [[Highgate]]
* [[Hornsey]]
* [[Wood Green]]

==Nearest stations==
* [[Alexandra Palace railway station]]
* [[Bowes Park railway station]]
* [[Hornsey railway station]]
* [[New Southgate station]]

The nearest tube stations are:
* [[Highgate tube station|Highgate]]
* [[Turnpike Lane tube station|Turnpike Lane]] 
* [[East Finchley tube station|East Finchley]]
* [[Bounds Green tube station|Bounds Green]]
* [[Wood Green tube station|Wood Green]]

==See also==
{{Commons category|Muswell Hill}}
*[[Hornsey (parish)]] for the local government unit of which Muswell Hill was part from medieval times to 1867
*[[Municipal Borough of Hornsey]] for the local government unit of which Muswell Hill was part from 1903 to 1965

==References and notes==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.mhfga.org/ Muswell Hill & Fortis Green Association] - has some good historical pictures etc.
*[https://hornseyhistorical.org.uk/topics/muswell-hill/ History of Muswell Hill - Hornsey Historical Society] - articles, books, postcards etc
{{LB Barnet}}{{LB Haringey}}
{{Areas of London}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Muswell Hill| ]]
[[Category:Districts of the London Borough of Haringey]]
[[Category:Areas of London]]
[[Category:Places formerly in Middlesex]]
[[Category:District centres of London]]
[[Category:Hills of London]]