Myddelton Square History

History of Myddelton Square

Myddelton Square and the surrounding streets were first developed by the New River Company in 1824 – 27. It is named after Sir Hugh Myddelton who was responsible for building the New River, which carried fresh water from the town of Amwell, north of London, to nearby reservoirs where they provided drinking water to London’s growing population in the early 17th century. The reservoir to the north, in Claremont Square, remains. The south reservoir was used as the site for the Metropolitan Water Board headquarters (now converted to flats).

The Square was the chief adornment of the New River Estate. Railed off within the area of the Square is St Mark’s Church designed by William Chadwell Mylne, who was surveyor to the New River Company from 1811.

The houses on the north side of the square were destroyed during the Blitz in 1941, and were subsequently rebuilt by the New River Company in 1947 and 1948 as purpose built flats. Although they appear similar to the rest of the square, the frontages and roofs differ from other surrounding the houses.

All houses are now grade II listed, and the church is protected.

More information about the buildings in the local area is available on pages 192-216 of the Survey of London: Volume 47, Northern Clerkenwell and Pentonville, ed. Philip Temple (London, 2008), British History Online http://www.british-history.ac.uk/survey-london/vol47.

The document "Sir Hugh Myddelton, Practical idealist", written by local resident Patricia Braun, contains a fascinating history of the man who gave is name to the square, and was responsible for building the New River which subsequently shaped the local area.