Ralph Basset

Ralph Basset (sometimes Bassett; died c. 1127) was a medieval English royal justice during the reign of King Henry I of England. He was a native of Normandy, and may have come to Henry's notice while Henry held land in Normandy prior to becoming king. Basset is first mentioned in documents about 1102, and from then until his death around 1127, he was frequently employed as a royal justice. His son Richard Basset also became a royal judge. Origins Basset was a native of Montreuil-au-Houlme near Domfront in Normandy, and possibly came to the notice of King Henry while Henry was count of Domfront during the reign of Henry's older brother King William II of England (1087–1100). Either Basset himself or an earlier person with the same name held lands of Robert d'Oilly that were recorded in Domesday Book as in Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire. If the Ralph in Domesday was not the same as the judge, the Domesday Ralph may have been the judge's father. Other Bassets in the area were also recorded in Domesday, including a Wiliam and a Richard. It is not clear how or if they were related to Ralph. Ralph the judge held lands in Montreuil that in 1150 were considered to be worth two English manors. He held lands in Wallingford and Colston Basset. The lands in Wallingford were worth 16 and a third knight's fees. Royal service