Muswell Hill takes its name from a medieval holy well and its hill-top location. The ‘mossy well’ became a place of pilgrimage after a Scottish king was said to have been cured here drinking the water. By the early 1800s, Belle Vue Lodge stood on the site of these premises. In 1900, it was replaced by the Express Dairy tea room, with a milk depot at the rear. In the early 1980s, the property was converted into licensed premises.

Much re-engineered, in 1984 it became a pub under various names, latterly the Village. It was opened by Wetherspoons on 13th October 2015, as the Mossy Well, derived from the etymology of Muswell. It's very spacious inside, with a mezzanine floor and outdoor drinking areas at both front and back. Despite the size it can be packed. Four "house" beers plus up to 8 guests. CAMRA North London Pub of the Season Winter 2016/17.

Following CAMRA's updated definition of "real cider", pubs such as this selling for example Old Rosie and Orchard Pig or other ciders such as Thistly Cross, Stans, Gwynt Y Draig, Broadoak etc. no longer qualify for the "Real cider" tag.