Sir Hugh Myddelton (or Middleton), 1st Baronet (1560 – 10 December 1631) was a Welsh goldsmith, clothmaker, banker, entrepreneur, mine-owner and self-taught engineer. The spelling of his name is inconsistently reproduced, but Myddelton appears to be the earliest.
The sixth son of Richard Myddelton, governor of Denbigh Castle and MP for Denbigh in north Wales, he travelled to seek his fortune in London and after being apprenticed to a goldsmith became so successful in that trade that he was appointed Royal Jeweller by King James I. In the meantime he became an alderman and then recorder of Denbigh, and in 1603 succeeded his father as MP for Denbigh, which he remained until 1628. He also become a very wealthy merchant and clothmaker.
He is, however, best remembered as the driving force behind the construction of the New River, an ambitious engineering project to bring clean water from the River Lea, near Ware, in Hertfordshire to New River Head, London. After the initial project encountered financial difficulties, Myddelton helped fund the project through to completion, obtaining the assistance of King James I. The New River was constructed between 1608 and 1613 (being officially opened on 29 September that year), and was originally some 38 miles (60 km) long. It was not initially a financial success, and cost Myddelton substantial sums, although in 1612 he was successful in securing monetary assistance from James I.
In 1617, Myddelton obtained large profits from lead and silver mines at Bronfloyd, Cwmerfyn and Cwmsymlog in Cardiganshire, Wales. Following engineering works at Brading on the Isle of Wight, he was created a baronet in 1622.
He died in December 1631, and was buried in the church of St. Matthew Friday Street, London. He had a family of ten sons and six daughters.
One of Sir Hugh's brothers was Sir Thomas Middelton (c. 1550-1631), lord mayor of London, and another was William Middelton (c. 1556-1621), poet and seaman, who died at Antwerp on the 27th of March 1621.
∼Engineer who channelled the 'New River' to London, thus providing the crowded City with a fresh water supply. When the church was demolished in Victorian times, a search for Hugh's remains proved unsuccessful.
The sixth son of Richard Myddelton, governor of Denbigh Castle and MP for Denbigh in north Wales, he travelled to seek his fortune in London and after being apprenticed to a goldsmith became so successful in that trade that he was appointed Royal Jeweller by King James I. In the meantime he became an alderman and then recorder of Denbigh, and in 1603 succeeded his father as MP for Denbigh, which he remained until 1628. He also become a very wealthy merchant and clothmaker.
He is, however, best remembered as the driving force behind the construction of the New River, an ambitious engineering project to bring clean water from the River Lea, near Ware, in Hertfordshire to New River Head, London. After the initial project encountered financial difficulties, Myddelton helped fund the project through to completion, obtaining the assistance of King James I. The New River was constructed between 1608 and 1613 (being officially opened on 29 September that year), and was originally some 38 miles (60 km) long. It was not initially a financial success, and cost Myddelton substantial sums, although in 1612 he was successful in securing monetary assistance from James I.
In 1617, Myddelton obtained large profits from lead and silver mines at Bronfloyd, Cwmerfyn and Cwmsymlog in Cardiganshire, Wales. Following engineering works at Brading on the Isle of Wight, he was created a baronet in 1622.
He died in December 1631, and was buried in the church of St. Matthew Friday Street, London. He had a family of ten sons and six daughters.
One of Sir Hugh's brothers was Sir Thomas Middelton (c. 1550-1631), lord mayor of London, and another was William Middelton (c. 1556-1621), poet and seaman, who died at Antwerp on the 27th of March 1621.
∼Engineer who channelled the 'New River' to London, thus providing the crowded City with a fresh water supply. When the church was demolished in Victorian times, a search for Hugh's remains proved unsuccessful.
Sir Hugh Myddelton (or Middleton), 1st Baronet (1560 – 10 December 1631) was a Welsh goldsmith, clothmaker, banker, entrepreneur, mine-owner and self-taught engineer. The spelling of his name is inconsistently reproduced, but Myddelton appears to be the earliest.
The sixth son of Richard Myddelton, governor of Denbigh Castle and MP for Denbigh in north Wales, he travelled to seek his fortune in London and after being apprenticed to a goldsmith became so successful in that trade that he was appointed Royal Jeweller by King James I. In the meantime he became an alderman and then recorder of Denbigh, and in 1603 succeeded his father as MP for Denbigh, which he remained until 1628. He also become a very wealthy merchant and clothmaker.
He is, however, best remembered as the driving force behind the construction of the New River, an ambitious engineering project to bring clean water from the River Lea, near Ware, in Hertfordshire to New River Head, London. After the initial project encountered financial difficulties, Myddelton helped fund the project through to completion, obtaining the assistance of King James I. The New River was constructed between 1608 and 1613 (being officially opened on 29 September that year), and was originally some 38 miles (60 km) long. It was not initially a financial success, and cost Myddelton substantial sums, although in 1612 he was successful in securing monetary assistance from James I.
In 1617, Myddelton obtained large profits from lead and silver mines at Bronfloyd, Cwmerfyn and Cwmsymlog in Cardiganshire, Wales. Following engineering works at Brading on the Isle of Wight, he was created a baronet in 1622.
He died in December 1631, and was buried in the church of St. Matthew Friday Street, London. He had a family of ten sons and six daughters.
One of Sir Hugh's brothers was Sir Thomas Middelton (c. 1550-1631), lord mayor of London, and another was William Middelton (c. 1556-1621), poet and seaman, who died at Antwerp on the 27th of March 1621.
∼Engineer who channelled the 'New River' to London, thus providing the crowded City with a fresh water supply. When the church was demolished in Victorian times, a search for Hugh's remains proved unsuccessful.
The sixth son of Richard Myddelton, governor of Denbigh Castle and MP for Denbigh in north Wales, he travelled to seek his fortune in London and after being apprenticed to a goldsmith became so successful in that trade that he was appointed Royal Jeweller by King James I. In the meantime he became an alderman and then recorder of Denbigh, and in 1603 succeeded his father as MP for Denbigh, which he remained until 1628. He also become a very wealthy merchant and clothmaker.
He is, however, best remembered as the driving force behind the construction of the New River, an ambitious engineering project to bring clean water from the River Lea, near Ware, in Hertfordshire to New River Head, London. After the initial project encountered financial difficulties, Myddelton helped fund the project through to completion, obtaining the assistance of King James I. The New River was constructed between 1608 and 1613 (being officially opened on 29 September that year), and was originally some 38 miles (60 km) long. It was not initially a financial success, and cost Myddelton substantial sums, although in 1612 he was successful in securing monetary assistance from James I.
In 1617, Myddelton obtained large profits from lead and silver mines at Bronfloyd, Cwmerfyn and Cwmsymlog in Cardiganshire, Wales. Following engineering works at Brading on the Isle of Wight, he was created a baronet in 1622.
He died in December 1631, and was buried in the church of St. Matthew Friday Street, London. He had a family of ten sons and six daughters.
One of Sir Hugh's brothers was Sir Thomas Middelton (c. 1550-1631), lord mayor of London, and another was William Middelton (c. 1556-1621), poet and seaman, who died at Antwerp on the 27th of March 1621.
∼Engineer who channelled the 'New River' to London, thus providing the crowded City with a fresh water supply. When the church was demolished in Victorian times, a search for Hugh's remains proved unsuccessful.
Family Members
Advertisement
Records on Ancestry
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
