John Myddelton 1685-1747

John MYDDELTON 1685-1747

Myddelton's bookplate (from a copy of The Book of Common Prayer, 1636, Chirk Castle)

Biographical Note

Younger son of Richard Myddelton of Shrewsbury, a member of a cadet line of the Myddelton family of Chirk Castle, Denbighshire, baronets; he inherited the Castle (but not the baronetcy) when his elder brother Robert died in 1733. He was MP for Denbigh 1733-42.

Books

The library at Chirk Castle was developed over succeeding generations of the Myddelton family, beginning with Sir Thomas Myddelton (1586-1666). Although the castle was sacked, and its library destroyed, in 1659 it was quickly rebuilt. By the time of the 2nd baronet, Sir Richard, a catalogue of 1704 lists over 1300 books.

John acquired books throughout his life, and he was active in augmenting the Chirk library. He used an engraved armorial bookplate (Franks 21457) which was adapted from the one originally used by his brother Robert. A catalogue of the library made in 1736 shows that it was well-organised by subjects, including history, theology, classics, literature, medicine and law.

Sources

• History of Parliament.
• Gambier Howe, E. R. J. Franks bequest: catalogue of British and American book plates bequeathed to the ... British Museum. London, 1903.
• Purcell, M., The country house library, New Haven and London, 2017, 102.
• Purcell, M., National Trust libraries in Wales, National Trust Historic Houses and Collections Annual 2011, 12-19.