Moselle Brook

The Moselle Brook is a small watercourse in North London that begins in Muswell Hill and Highgate before winding through Tottenham towards the Lea Valley. Originally a tributary of the River Lea, it now joins Pymmes Brook instead. The name comes from Mosse-Hill in Hornsey, which also gave Muswell Hill its name, and has no connection to the Moselle river in Europe. For centuries the brook flowed openly, but in the 19th century parts near Tottenham High Road were covered over. Further sections were enclosed in 1906 and later years, so today the brook runs entirely underground between Tottenham Cemetery and its meeting with Pymmes Brook. In the past it caused serious flooding in Tottenham before being controlled. Visitors can still trace the brook’s route along its above-ground stretches, especially through Lordship Recreation Ground. The covered sections lie beneath busy roads like White Hart Lane and High Road. The Friends of Lordship Recreation Ground have documented its history with photographs. Engineers have studied the risks of uncovering parts of the brook again. The brook remains a quiet reminder of London’s hidden waterways.