Nathaniel Stephens facts for kids
Nathaniel Stephens (born 1589 – died 1660) was an English politician. He was a member of the House of Commons, which is a part of the English government. He served there at different times between 1628 and 1653. He supported the Parliamentarian side during the English Civil War. This was a major conflict in England.
About Nathaniel Stephens
Nathaniel Stephens was the son of Richard Stephens. He inherited a large and historic home called Chavenage House. He also made improvements to this house.
In 1628, he was chosen to be a Member of Parliament for Gloucestershire. This meant he represented the people of that area in Parliament. He served until 1629. At that time, King Charles I decided to rule without Parliament for eleven years.
In November 1640, Stephens was again elected as an MP for Gloucestershire. This was for the Long Parliament, which lasted for many years. During the Civil War, he became a Colonel. He led a group of soldiers on horseback who fought for Parliament. In 1644, he was sent to Gloucester to help secure the town. He also helped Colonel Edward Massey with other important tasks.
The Legend of Chavenage
Nathaniel Stephens agreed with the decision to put King Charles I on trial. The King was later executed in 1649. A few months after this, Stephens became very ill. This led to a famous local legend about Chavenage House.
The story says that Henry Ireton, an important Parliamentarian, visited Stephens in late 1648. Ireton wanted to convince Stephens to agree to the King's execution. Stephens was known as a gentle person and was unsure. But it is said that Ireton stayed up all night and finally persuaded him.
In the New Year, Stephens' daughter, Abigail, came home. She was very angry. She supposedly put a curse on her father. She felt he had shamed their family name. The legend says that after this, Nathaniel Stephens never left his bed again. He remained ill until he passed away.
Stephens died at the age of 71. He was buried in Eastington on May 30, 1660. Another part of the legend describes his funeral. It says a hearse arrived at his manor house. It was driven by a headless figure. Then, the ghost of Stephens supposedly rose from his coffin and bowed deeply.
Nathaniel Stephens' Family
By 1617, Nathaniel Stephens had married Catherine. She was the daughter of Robert Beale. They had three sons and six daughters. Sadly, one son and one daughter passed away before him.
On February 25, 1661, Stephens' daughter Abigail married Edward Harley. They had four sons and one daughter. One of their sons, Robert, later became the 1st Earl of Oxford. Another son, Edward, also became a Member of Parliament. He represented the areas of Droitwich and Leominster.
