Sir Hugh Myddelton

This statue on Islington Green commemorates London Welshman Sir Hugh Myddelton. A goldsmith, merchant and banker from Denbigh, he is best remembered for his role in constructing the New River. This waterway brought clean water from Hertfordshire to London: a healthier alternative to the sewage-contaminated Thames water provided by other companies. Although the New River Company was not profitable until a few years after Myddleton's death, it became a commercial and engineering success - parts are still used in London's water supply system today.

To read more about Myddelton and the New River, click here or here [PDF].