Drinking Fountain in Highgate Wood
Drinking Fountain in Highgate Wood, Muswell Hill Road
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
800/0/10086
MUSWELL HILL ROAD
Drinking Fountain in Highgate Wood
03-MAR-03
II
Public drinking fountain in Highgate Woods. 1888. Pink Peterhead granite obelisk with chamfered angles, over a broad basin, carried on a square plinth standing on an octagonal base; the lower elements are of grey granite. Within the plinth is a narrow dog trough. The west side of the obelisk sports a bronze plaque with the inscription 'The Gift of a few Friends. Erected 1888'. Below, on the same side, is a second plaque bearing an inscription from Coleridge: "Drink, Pilgrim, here! Here rest! And if thy heart / Be innocent, here too shalt thou refresh / Thy spirit, listening to some gentle sound / Or passing gale or hum of murmuring bees!"
HISTORY: a picturesquely sited example of a public drinking fountain, erected shortly after the opening of Highgate Woods as a public open space in 1886. Coleridge had strong connections with Highgate, living there from 1816 until his death in 1834; there he was buried as well.
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1096149
- Date first listed:
- 03-Mar-2003
- List Entry Name:
- Drinking Fountain in Highgate Wood
- Statutory Address:
- Drinking Fountain in Highgate Wood, Muswell Hill Road
Location
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1096149
- Date first listed:
- 03-Mar-2003
- List Entry Name:
- Drinking Fountain in Highgate Wood
- Statutory Address 1:
- Drinking Fountain in Highgate Wood, Muswell Hill Road
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
Location
- Statutory Address:
- Drinking Fountain in Highgate Wood, Muswell Hill Road
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- County:
- Greater London Authority
- District:
- Haringey (London Borough)
- Parish:
- Non Civil Parish
- National Grid Reference:
- TQ 28349 88870
Summary
This list entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 1 September 2025 to reformat the text to current standards
800/0/10086
MUSWELL HILL ROAD
Drinking Fountain in Highgate Wood
03-MAR-03
II
Public drinking fountain in Highgate Woods. 1888. Pink Peterhead granite obelisk with chamfered angles, over a broad basin, carried on a square plinth standing on an octagonal base; the lower elements are of grey granite. Within the plinth is a narrow dog trough. The west side of the obelisk sports a bronze plaque with the inscription 'The Gift of a few Friends. Erected 1888'. Below, on the same side, is a second plaque bearing an inscription from Coleridge: "Drink, Pilgrim, here! Here rest! And if thy heart / Be innocent, here too shalt thou refresh / Thy spirit, listening to some gentle sound / Or passing gale or hum of murmuring bees!"
HISTORY: a picturesquely sited example of a public drinking fountain, erected shortly after the opening of Highgate Woods as a public open space in 1886. Coleridge had strong connections with Highgate, living there from 1816 until his death in 1834; there he was buried as well.
Details
This list entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 1 September 2025 to reformat the text to current standards
800/0/10086
MUSWELL HILL ROAD
Drinking Fountain in Highgate Wood
03-MAR-03
II
Public drinking fountain in Highgate Woods. 1888. Pink Peterhead granite obelisk with chamfered angles, over a broad basin, carried on a square plinth standing on an octagonal base; the lower elements are of grey granite. Within the plinth is a narrow dog trough. The west side of the obelisk sports a bronze plaque with the inscription 'The Gift of a few Friends. Erected 1888'. Below, on the same side, is a second plaque bearing an inscription from Coleridge: "Drink, Pilgrim, here! Here rest! And if thy heart / Be innocent, here too shalt thou refresh / Thy spirit, listening to some gentle sound / Or passing gale or hum of murmuring bees!"
HISTORY: a picturesquely sited example of a public drinking fountain, erected shortly after the opening of Highgate Woods as a public open space in 1886. Coleridge had strong connections with Highgate, living there from 1816 until his death in 1834; there he was buried as well.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
- Legacy System number:
- 490114
- Legacy System:
- LBS
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
Map
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 04-Jul-2026 at 15:25:22.
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