Nathaniel Bladen

Nathaniel Bladen (born 1642) was an English barrister who was Steward to the Earl of Danby for twenty years as Danby rose to be the most powerful politician of the day before he was engulfed in the Popish Plot and incarcerated in the Tower of London.

Nathaniel was the grandson of Robert Bladen c1580-1647 who was Steward to Sir Francis Wortley and Robert resided, for some years, at Askwith close to Denton Hall, home of Thomas Fairfax, 1st Lord Fairfax of Cameron. In later life he worked in a similar capacity for Sir William Savile who, like Wortley, was a staunch Royalist supporter in the English Civil War. Nathaniel’s father John (only son of Robert) was a lawyer who was employed by the Fairfax family. During the Civil War he joined 3rd Lord Thomas Fairfax’s regiment as a Captain but, after joining the Defence Committee to protect Hull, he found himself accused by that same Committee of being a turncoat and assisting the enemy. He was required to pay a fine by the Committee for Compounding with Delinquents. Nathaniel's maternal grandfather, Nathaniel Birkhead, after whom he was named, jointly purchased Hague Hall in South Kirkby, with Robert Bladen though the property ended up in sole ownership of Birkhead. Nathaniel Bladen had an inheritance from both grandfathers: Robert Bladen and Nathaniel Birkhead - though Birkhead had objected to the marriage of his daughter Margaret to Bladen’s son John.

Bladen was the father of William Bladen - Attorney-General of Maryland and Colonel Martin Bladen- Commissioner of the Board of Trade and Plantations, Grandfather of Thomas Bladen - Governor of Maryland and Admiral Hawke.

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