Highgate

Highgate Village

Faded sign in Highgate Village. It actually looks as if it's been whitewashed over at some point and is becoming more visable again as the whitewash fades.

Just behind the Angel pub.

Highgate, N6. Leading from the bottom of West Hill by Parliament Hill Fields up to South Grove, Highgate Village. Highgate Cemetery and Waterlow Park bound each side towards the top end. "This thoroughfare is mentioned as far back as the year 1492 as "Swayneslane," though the less euphonious form usually employed until last century was "Swines Lane." It was one of four parallel routes up the hill to the village, viz. West Hill, Bromwich Walk, Swain's Lane and Dartmouth Hill. Bromwich Walk never developed beyond a footpath and has disappeared. The use of Swain's Lane was mainly to provide access to the adjacent farm lands on either side and there were no dwellings in it except at a few yards from the upper end." From 'Swain's Lane', Survey of London: volume 17: The parish of St Pancras part 1: The village of Highgate (1936), pp. 39-40. In British History Online

Highgate, N6. As this is the next turning off South Grove after Swains (or swine's) lane, it's tempting to make the association with pigs. This is, of course, a complete irrelevance and the name actually relates to Sir Francis Bacon who died in nearby Arundel House in 1626. See Francis Bacon & The 2nd Earl of Arundel and 'Highgate: Part 1 of 2', Old and New London: Volume 5 (1878), pp. 389-405 in British History Online

Road leading down to the Heath from West Hill, Highgate. The "no estate agents signs" (see note) made me laugh. But then I suppose they're not exactly fixed *on* the wall?

Part of the Holly Lodge Estate

This is outside the Trade Delegation Of The Russian Federation In The UK (I think) on West Hill, Highgate. Anyway a couple of heavy looking guys coming out in a (probably armour-plated) Merc eyed me up suspiciously as I was taking this!