Sir Hugh Myddelton
In September 2013, Miles Anderson assessed Myddleton’s
historic achievement
I wonder if in London there will be great celebrations
on the 29th September, 2013? Perhaps not, but there
should be, Here in Ruthin, at least, we can record the
significance of the date when exactly 400 years
ago—29th September 1613 - the great engineering
construction of Sir Hugh Myddelton brought clean
water to London.
The ‘New River’, as it was called, took water from the
river Ware in Hertfordshire to New River Head in
London, a distance of 38 mikes. Here the development
was officially opened on 29th September 1613. The
investment was not a great financial success.
Sir Hugh Myddelton (or Middleton), (1560—December
10th, 1631) and 1st Baronet was, during his lifetime, a
cloth maker, entrepreneur, mine owner, goldsmith,
banker and self taught engineer. He was the sixth son
of Richard Myddelton, was governor of Denbigh Castle
and MP for the borough. He travelled to London where
he became royal jeweller to King James I.
Here in Ruthin, the Myddelton family owned the
Castle Hotel, or the White Lion as it was down, and its
associated buildings, It is believed that the design of
what is now The Myddelton on the Square', but more
generally called ‘The Seven Eyes of Ruthin’, is thought
to have been influenced by the Dutch style
encountered on the European travels of Sir Richard
Clough and Sir Hugh Myddelton, both 16th century
merchants associated with the house. Sir Richard
Clough was manager for Queen Elizabeth I's merchant
royal based in Antwerp and is suggested as the
founder of the London Stock exchange.
Hugh Myddelton certainly belongs to that group of
men from the Vale of Clwyd of the period known as
the ‘Renaissance Men of North Wales’. They also
included Gabriel Goodman and Sir John Trevor—all
sons of Ruthin.
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