Ralph de Warenne

Biography

Ralph's father was William de Warenne, 2nd Earl of Surrey, the son of one of William the Conqueror's companions and a prominent member of Henry I of England's court, and his mother was Elizabeth de Vermandois, the granddaughter of Henry I of France. His siblings were William de Warenne, who succeeded his father's earldom; Reginald de Warenne, a royal official; Gundred de Warenne, married to Roger de Beaumont and William de Lancaster; and Ada de Warenne, married to Henry of Scotland and the mother of two Scottish kings.

With his brother William, Ralph was a joint donor in charters issued by his parents and was a witness to his father's charter, all to Longueville Priory near Rouen, Normandy (between 1130 and 1138). He was also a donor with his brother and both parents to the priory of Bellencombre (also near Rouen) in 1135. Ralph witnessed a number of charters of his brother, the third Earl, between 1138 and 1147. He is also mentioned in connection with the livery of seisin in 1147. At that event, Ralph's brother, William, acting as 3rd Earl of Surrey, gave a large gift to the Lewes Priory which was secured with a lock of hair from his own and from Ralph's head cut by Henry of Blois, bishop of Winchester, before the altar of the priory church. Lewes Priory had been founded by Ralph's grandparents, William de Warenne, 1st Earl of Surrey, and his wife Gundrada, probably in 1081.

Ralph may have had a son named William, as a document records that a Ralph de Warenne donated land in Norfolk to Lewes Priory, which his son William later enlarged.

Connection to the Whitchurch Warennes

Several authors mention Ralph as the possible founder of a cadet branch of the Warenne family that became the Lords of Whitchurch in Shropshire. Before the Norman Conquest, the area around the town was held by Harold Godwinson. In 1086, the Domesday Book records it as being in the possession of William de Warenne, 1st Earl of Surrey, Ralph's grandfather, and Roger de Montgomery. At this time it was known as Weston, probably because it was located on the western edge of Shropshire, bordering the Welsh Marches. A large church of whitish stone was then erected in the town, possibly by William de Warenne, and it became known as Whitchurch, Album Monasterium or Blancminster. There was also a castle at Whitchurch, also possibly built by William, and its location on the marches would require the Lords of Whitchurch to keep a military watch. The Lords of Whitechurch were a branch of the Warenne family, but were often referred as de Albo Monasterio in contemporary writings, referring to the church. Their connection to the main Warenne line is not well documented. The first individual recorded as the Lord of Whitchurch is William fitz Ranulf, who appeared in the Shropshire Pipe Roll of 1176. Robert Eyton considered it likely that this William was the son of Ralph, the son of William de Warenne, 2nd Earl of Surrey, and Ralph may indeed have been the first to hold the title of Lord of Whitchurch. The mention of a Ralph de Warenne and his son William both donating land to Lewes Priory appears to corroborate this statement. Writing in 1923, William Farrer agreed. However in a later publication, Charles Travis Clay elaborated on Farrer's original work and pointed out that there may be a Domesday Tenant of William de Warenne, 1st Earl of Surrey, named Ranulf nepos or nephew of William de Warenne. Clay theorizes that this Ranulf nepos may be the ancestor of William fitz Ranulf, Lord of Whitchurch.