Muswell Stream facts for kids
The Muswell Stream is a small river or stream located in the London Borough of Haringey in England. It starts in an area called Muswell Hill. This stream actually begins from three different smaller springs. The biggest of these springs is now hidden underneath a private house on Muswell Road.
A Stream with a Special History
Long ago, in the 1100s, the main spring of the Muswell Stream was on land owned by an important church leader called the Bishop of London. This land was used for farming. People believed the water from this spring had special healing powers. Because of this, it was dedicated to the Virgin Mary, and a small church or chapel was built there. People would travel to this spot on a pilgrimage (a special journey for religious reasons) to use the water.
There's a story that a Scottish king named Malcolm IV was cured by drinking the water from this spring!
Changes Over Time
The Muswell Stream has changed a lot over the years. In 1875, one of the smaller streams that fed into the Muswell Stream was redirected. Its water was sent to a lake in Alexandra Park.
Later, in 1899, the part of Alexandra Park with this lake was sold. The lake was emptied, and the stream's path was moved underground. This was done to make space for new roads like Grove Avenue and Rosebery Road.
In the 1890s, a laundry business called the Wood Green and Hornsey laundry used water from the Muswell Stream for washing clothes.
The Stream Goes Underground
During the 1920s and 1930s, the Muswell Stream was completely covered up and moved underground. This means you can't see most of it anymore!
Sometimes, these underground water systems don't always manage to handle very heavy rainfall. The last part of the Muswell Stream that you can still see is where it flows into another stream called the Pymmes Brook.
