Sir Hugh Myddelton - Royal Exchange, London, UK - Statues of Historic Figures on Waymarking.com

This statue of Sir Hugh Myddelton was sculpted by Samuel Joseph in 1844-5. It is carved from stone and stands 3.5m (11 feet) tall. The base is signed "S. Joseph/ Sculp.".

Myddelton is standing in early seventeenth century costume with one hand resting on a long stick and the other holding a scroll.

The commission for an "appropriate" statue was given to Joseph on 26th April 1844. The subject was fixed and agreement made between Joseph and the Gresham Committee on 31st May. The model was reported complete on 26th July and the statue was being carved by 30th August. Joseph was paid £400 for his work. The "Art Union" for April 1845 refers to the recent erection of the Myddelton statue in the vacant niche on the north side of the Exchange. The reported that the scroll was probably a plan of the country through which the New River is conducted and that the stick was not just a walking stick but a gauging rod. In January 1999 the statue's projecting hand and rod fell off into the street, but by June of the same year well modelled replacements were in place.

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Myddelton is 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.

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