Sir John Bassett - Marriage & Progeny

Marriage & Progeny

He was married twice, producing in total 12 children:

• Firstly to Ann Denys, daughter of John Denys of Orleigh, near Bideford, by whom he had one son, who died young, and four daughters, including:
  • Anne Bassett, who married James Courtenay (b.1459), a younger son of Sir William Courtenay (d.1485) of Powderham by Margaret Bonville.

• Secondly to Honor Grenville (1493-1566), a daughter of Sir Thomas Grenville (d.1513) (whose monument and effigy exists in Bideford Church) of Stowe in Kilkhampton, Cornwall and lord of the manor of Bideford, Devon, by his wife Isabella Gilbert, by whom he had seven children, including:
  • John Bassett (d.20/4/1541) of Umberleigh, eldest son and heir, Sheriff of Cornwall in 1518 and 1523 who married Frances Plantagenet, the daughter and co-heiress of his step-father Arthur Plantagenet, 1st Viscount Lisle, bastard son of King Edward IV (she married secondly Thomas Monke (d.1583), of Potheridge in Merton, Devon (as his first wife), with whom she had three sons and three daughters. By her eldest son she was great-grandmother of George Monck, 1st Duke of Albemarle (1608-1670), KG. By Frances Plantagenet John Bassett had a son and heir Sir Arthur Bassett (1541-1586), MP, of Umberleigh and a daughter married to William Whiddon. Due to his Plantagenet ancestry, Arthur's son Sir Robert Bassett (1573-1641) made what turned out to be a foolish and costly decision to offer himself as one of the many claimants to the throne of England after the death of Queen Elizabeth, perhaps encouraged by his father-in-law Sir William Peryam, Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer. He suffered a heavy fine for his action which according to the biographer John Prince (d.1723), involved the sale of thirty of the family's manors.
  • James Basset (1526-1558), MP. Was granted by Queen Mary the manor of Great Torrington.
  • Elizabeth Bassett, maid-of-honour
  • Katherine Bassett
  • Anne Bassett, who attracted the romantic interest of King Henry VIII.