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Statue of Sir Hugh Myddleton near the terminus of the New River

Sir Hugh Myddleton (or Middleton) (1560-10 December 1631) was a Welsh goldsmith, clothmaker, banker, entrepreneur, mine-owner and self-taught engineer.

The sixth son of Richard Myddleton, 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 revorder 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 being fresh water from Hertfordshire to 17th century London. After the initial project encountered financial difficulties, Myddleton helped fund the project through to completion. The New River was constructed between 1609 and 1613 (being officially opened on 29 September that year), and was originally some 38 miles (60km) long. It was not initially a financial success, and cost Myddleton substantial sums, although in 1612 he was successful in securing monetary assistance from King James I.

In 1617, Myddleton 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.

There is a memorial to Myddleton on Islington Green. Clerkenwell streets, close to the Round Pond, the original southern end of the New River, include Myddelton Square and Myddelton Passage; Hugh Myddleton Primary School in Myddelton Street; Hugh Myddleton Secondary school (which closed in the mid 1960s) in Bowling Green Lane Islington were also named after him. Myddleton Avenue, parallel to Brownswood Road and the site of one of the New River Reservoirs, also takes its name from him.

• biography in Science & Society Picture Library
• page 534 of Tallis's Topographical Dictionary of England and Wales, published 1860
• Brief history of construction
• Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition