Page 20 - Ninnau Jan-Feb 2021

The National Bontanical Garden of Wales

A Treasure Derived
from Fortunes Made
in the East India
Company

By Meurig Williams

If you drive down the lush
and verdant Tywi river valley, a
few miles before reaching
Carmarthen in south Wales you
will see on the left a gothic
tower high on a hill. It is
Paxton’s tower, a folly, an orna-
mental building with no practi- The landscape around Middleton Hall, Thomos Hornor, 1815.
cal purpose but which adds an
element of status and intrigue to inspired other adventurers to Hall was put up for sale and the
a grand estate. That estate was follow him into India. William proceeds of his estate distrib- Greenhouse at the National Botanic Garden of Wales.
Middleton Hall, built in the Paxton was one of those. Paxton uted equally to his surviving Picture by Mikani (CC BY 3.0)
early 17th century by the was of modest origins, born in children.
Middleton family. Henry Edinburgh to a chief clerk to a Paxton’s tower, again
Middleton and two of his broth- wine merchant. He joined the designed by Cockerell, was
ers were sea captains and Navy aged 12 as a Captain’s built in 1806-09, most likely to
adventurers who were instru- servant, and later became a free make his mark on society, espe-
mental in setting up the East mariner on a ship bound for the cially since it was dedicated to
India Company (EIC) in 1600 EIC. In 1778 he was appointed the memory of the naval hero
which was chartered by Master of the Mint of Bengal. Nelson who lost his life at the
Elizabeth I as a group of mer- This placed him in a powerful Battle of Tafalgar in 1805.
chants in order to get a share of position which enabled him to However, local rumor has it that
the spice trade in the East Indies facilitate international money it was built to register his dis-
(modern Indonesia). The EIC transfer which allowed for dain for the local people after
plays a prominent role in the wealthy retirement of expatri- his failed attempt to buy their
history of Middleton Hall. It ates to Britain. As was the cus- votes in the 1802 county elec-
remained the home of the tom, he also lined his pockets tion. He had promised to build a
Middleton family for six gener- with very large amounts of much needed bridge over the
ations until it was purchased in money that came from ‘pre- river Tywi if he won the elec-
c.1789 by Scotsman William sents’ he obtained from local tion. Today the tower is owned
Paxton (1744−1824) with the rulers and other forms of cor- by the National Trust. Paxton’s Tower. Picture by Matt Phillips (CC BY-SA 4.0).
intention of employing the enor- ruption. He returned to Britain After passing through several
mous wealth he had made in the in 1785 with his enormous hands, the mansion was gutted credit due to the authorities, the consider the metaphor of the
EIC to gain political power and wealth. In 1786 he married and by fire in 1931. The estate was Botanical Garden’s website scales of social justice, the sto-
entry into the company of the produced nine children. Paxton bought in the 1930s by botanicgarden.wales raises that ries we have told are so imbal-
landed elite. Why he selected bought the Middleton Hall Carmarthenshire County issue in this way: “But a grow- anced that they do not reflect
Wales in unknown. estate in 1789 and converted it Council. The lakes were drained ing awareness and uneasiness the Botanic Garden’s values and
Many countries are now grap- between 1793-95 into one of the and the walls of the mansion about the sources of wealth commitment to inclusivity. We
pling with the memorialization most magnificent houses in were pulled down. The property which funded the creation of the have therefore taken the deci-
of colonial adventurers with Wales. He could afford to was left in derelict condition historic estate has led us to sion to conduct further research
statues and grand buildings, and impress and he hired the best until, in the mid 1980s, the idea review the way we want to to ensure our website content is
with the historic entitlement of architect of the day, Samuel of a National Botanic garden communicate the story of this a fair and equitable account.”
white Europeans to the posses- Pepys Cockerell (1753–1827), was proposed by artist William land before the National Destruction of imperial docu-
sions of others who were con- great-great nephew of the diarist Wilkins. Under the guidance of Botanic Garden of Wales was ments has been an insidious
sidered to be “lesser” people. Samuel Pepys. Middleton Hall the Welsh Historic Gardens created. We have to grapple way to eradicate the truth. A
But occasionally we come was described as “one of the Trust, an application was made with the juxtaposition of the few days before India celebrat-
across outcomes derived from best built and most magnificent to the Millennium Commission values of our 21st Century ed its independence in 1947, the
imperialistic adventures which houses in Wales.” It was in the to fund Britain’s first national botanic garden with those of British burned documents en
are more sanguine, for they neoclassical style and complete botanic garden for 200 years. previous custodians of the mass in New Delhi lest anything
were unforeseen by the colonial with a grand and imposing por- Virtually on the site of the land.” “We previously pub- that might compromise His
masters and later developed tico. The interior was elaborate grand mansion, the world’s lished these as webpages and Majesty’s government get into
with public money for the pub- in accordance with the latest largest single-spanned blogs, to explain to our visitors the wrong hands.
lic good. The transformation of fashions, and it also incorporat- glasshouse, designed by Foster about the known social history
the Middleton Hall estate into ed advanced features such as an and Partners, now forms the of this land. But if we were to
the site of the National Botanic ice house and water closets centerpiece. It is home to some
Garden of Wales is such an out- which were fed by a reservoir of the most endangered plants Where do you Read Ninnau?
come. built on a nearby hill. But the on the planet from six
Up to 1740, the EIC was a features which, after restoration, Mediterranean climate regions –
peaceful commercial enterprise have enduring appeal are the Western Australia, Chile, the
unbothered by the internal poli- gardens and a chain of lakes, Canaries, California, southern
tics of India, even though the damns, sluices and a stunning Africa, and the Mediterranean
charter had granted it political waterfall. A three-acre double basin. And over 8000 different
and military powers. But, as a walled garden was highly plant varieties are spread across
result of a challenge from unusual, the inner wall creating 560 acres. Much of the original
France for the trade, it devel- a milder micro-climate which waterscape has been restored.
oped into a military and diplo- extended the fruit and vegetable The service block, which served
matic organization. It was man- growing season, and this was as the farmhouse following the
aged by Robert Clive (1725- further enhanced by under- fire, has now been restored to its
1774). He made his mark in the ground heating. A bathhouse original outward appearance.
decisive victory over the was built for family use. And The double walled garden has
Indians at the 1757 Battle of visitors were also allowed been rebuilt from the ruins and
Plassey, which was one of the access to the waters outside the provides a magnificent display
most decisive battles of the parkland wall. In 1802, as high of ornamental beds. The Garden
world because it secured the sheriff, magistrate and mayor of was opened to the public in
beginning of British India. It Carmarthen, Paxton attempted 2000. It is both a visitor attrac-
was described as the supreme to enter into parliament as a tion and a center for botanical
act of corporate violence in his- Whig candidate in the infamous research and conservation.
tory. The EIC seldom turned a Carmarthenshire county elec- The EIC is a prime example
profit, as employees diverted tion with almost no experience of the British sense of entitle-
funds into their own pockets in politics but a great deal of ment to its great wealth in the
and returned to Britain with cash to finance his campaign. years leading up to its Empire.
large fortunes. When Clive He attempted to buy votes But now, in the totally different David Howells reading Ninnau on his break in his
returned to UK he was the rich- through lavish entertainment world in which the future of the mail truck in Jacksonville, Florida.
est self-made man in Europe. with meals and drinks which U.K. is uncertain on account of
Powys castle in Wales now was billed for more than 15,000 Brexit and the likelihood of its
Please send us photos of you reading this issue;
houses more Mughal artifacts, pounds, a vast sum at that time. disintegration, there is growing at your computer? in your living room? at the beach?
looted by Clive, than are on dis- But he lost to Tory candidate uneasiness with how the This was inspired by Ninnau subscriber Ruth Watson who told
play at any one place in India. James Williams of the old Empire’s great wealth was gen- us she reads Ninnau in Central Park in the hopes someone
It was Clive’s generation of established Edwinsford family. erated and how this has been Welsh would recognize it, good idea Ruth!
great personal wealth that In 1824, aged 80, Paxton died at analyzed and recorded. In keep- Send us your photos to: ninnaupublications@gmail.com
his London home. Middleton ing with this, and with much

Page 20 NINNAU - The North American Welsh Newspaper January-February 2021
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