Bassett Family Association Database

Sir Ralph Bassett, of Colston[1]

Male 1076 - 1120  (44 years)


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  • Name Ralph Bassett 
    Prefix Sir 
    Suffix of Colston 
    Born 1076  Normandy, France or Drayton, Staffordshire Find all individuals with events at this location  [2, 3, 4, 5
    Gender Male 
    Died 1120  Northampton Find all individuals with events at this location  [6
    Buried 1120  The Abbey, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, England Find all individuals with events at this location  [7, 8
    Notes 
    • By the dates of his birth and marriage it is likely that Ralph was born after the conquest and that it was his father who accompanied William. Reliable sources state that his father was Thurstin and that Thurstin's descended from Osmond Bassett and Bathel or Bassett who acquired Oiully-le-Basset in Normandy in 912. Both Thurstin and Ralph are recorded as owning land in the Domesday Book of 1086 and Ralph was made Justice of England by Henry I .
      Pat Newton
    Person ID I2967  33B Bassetts of Blore, Hints, Staffordshire & Warwickshire
    Last Modified 15 Dec 2008 

    Father Thurstan Bassett,   d. 1080 
    Mother unknown,   d. Yes, date unknown 
    Married Y  [8, 9, 10
    Family ID F1092  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family 1 Alice de Buci,   b. Abt 1065, Great Weldon, , Northamptonshire, England Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Bef 1107  (Age ~ 41 years) 
    Married 1101  [3, 7, 11
    Children 
    +1. Richard Bassett,   b. Abt 1102, Drayton , Staffordshire Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. From 16 Sep 1144 to 29 May 1147  (Age ~ 42 years)
    +2. Osmond Bassett, of Ippesden(Ipsden)& Stoke Bassett,   b. Abt 1104, Weldon, Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Yes, date unknown
    +3. Thurstan Bassett, of Colston,   b. Abt 1106, Colston , Nottinghamshire Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Yes, date unknown
    Family ID F990  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family 2 Agatha de Bruce,   b. 1079, Cleveland, England Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Yes, date unknown 
    Married 1107 
    Children 
    +1. Gilbert Bassett, of Little Rissington,   b. 1108, Wallingford, Berkshire, England Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 1158, Headington, Oxfordshire Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 50 years)
     2. Nicholas Bassett,   b. Abt 1110, Drayton, Staffordshire Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Yes, date unknown
    Family ID F991  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Sources 
    1. [S1] GEDCOM file imported on 4 May 2009.

    2. [S26] Royalty for Commoners- Stuart (Reliability: 2).

    3. [S55] The William Salt Archaeological Collections for a History of (Reliability: 2).

    4. [S59] The Battle Abbey Roll-Duches of Cleveland (Reliability: 2).
      The names given on the Dives Roll,are, however," Raoul et Guillaume Basset : " and the former, afterwards the celebrated Justiciary, was the reputed son of Thurstin, a Norman who held five hides of land at Drayton in Staffordshire, 1086. (Domesday.) Ordericus says of him, that Henry L, at the very beginning of his reign,
      " De ignobili stirpe illustravit
      ac de pulvere (ut ita dicam), extulit ; dataque multiplici facultate super
      consules et illustres oppidanos exaltavit."
      " He had the high office of Justice
      of England under Henry I., with a power so great, that he sat in what court he
      pleased, and wherever else he thought fit, for the administration of justice. And
      to his wisdom, it is asserted, we owe the first design and institution of the law of frank-pledge, besides other excellent laws. From this it seems evident, that he
      shared largely in his sovereign's favour, and that he had great abilities, which,
      with so wise a prince, were the likeliest means to procure it.
      " Yet it may probably admit of some doubt, whether Ordericus be not a little
      mistaken, when he represents him of an ignoble race ; the more especially so,
      when it is related of Richard his son, that abounding in wealth, he built a strong
      castle upon his inheritance in Normandy ; which makes it the more likely, that
      Ralph, his father, was descended from some ancient house in that country ; for
      if he were raised from a low estate to the high rank he enjoyed, it does not
      appear very feasible that he should have any inheritance worth erecting a castle
      upon." Banks.

    5. [S60] The Domesday Book (Reliability: 2).
      In YARDLEY [Hundred]
      Ralph Basset holds MARSWORTH from Robert. It answers for 20 hides.
      Land for 9 ploughs; in lordship 4.
      22 villagers have 5 ploughs.
      8 slaves; 3 mills at 15s; meadow for 6 ploughs; woodland,
      800 pigs.
      The total value is and always was £20.
      Brictric , a thane of King Edward's, held this manor; he could sell.
      [Land of Robert d'Oilly

    6. [S59] The Battle Abbey Roll-Duches of Cleveland (Reliability: 2).
      This great Justiciary, who, like most of his contemporaries, was very liberal
      to the Church, called for a monk's habit when lying on his death bed at
      Northampton in 1120; and on being asked of what Order, replied that he had
      always held the monks of Abingdon in special veneration, and desired that his
      body might be buried in their Abbey.

    7. [S23] Phil Bassett (Reliability: 2).

    8. [S59] The Battle Abbey Roll-Duches of Cleveland (Reliability: 2).

    9. [S63] The Patrician. John Burke (Reliability: 2).

    10. [S60] The Domesday Book (Reliability: 2).

    11. [S59] The Battle Abbey Roll-Duches of Cleveland (Reliability: 2).
      Bushy, or Bussy, as Leland gives it, from Buci, in Normandy. Robert de
      Buci held a great barony in Northamptonshire and Leicestershire in 1086
      (Domesday) : but left no heir save a daughter, married to Ralph Basset, Justiciary
      of England under Henry I. (Mon. ii. 190).