Sir Ralph de Neville, 1st Earl of Westmorland was born circa 1364 at Raby Castle, County Durham, England. He was the son of Sir John de Neville, 3rd Baron Neville and Maud de Percy. He married by contract, firstly, Lady Margaret de Stafford, daughter of Hugh de Stafford, 2nd Earl of Stafford and Philippa Beauchamp, before 1370. He married Lady Margaret de Stafford, daughter of Hugh de Stafford, 2nd Earl of Stafford and Philippa Beauchamp, circa 1382 in a Stafford, Staffordshire, England marriage. He married, secondly, Lady Joan de Beaufort, daughter of John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster and Katherine Roët, before 29 November 1396 at Château de Beaufort, Meuse-et-Loire, Anjou, France. He died on 21 October 1425 at Raby Castle, Durham, County Durham, England. He was buried at Staindrop, County Durham, England. He was buried in October 1425 at Staindrop, County Durham, England. His will (dated 18 October 1424) was probated.
In 1380 he took part in the Earl of Buckingham's expedition to Brittany. He was invested as a Knight in July 1380. He held the office of Joint Keeper of the castle and city of Carlisle on 26 October 1385. He held the office of Joint Warden of the West Marches towards Scotland on 27 March 1386. He succeeded to the title of 4th Lord Neville, of Raby [E., 1295] on 17 October 1388. He held the office of Joint Surveyor of the Fortifications in the Marches on 25 October 1388. He held the office of Joint Warden of the West Marches towards Scotland in 1389. He held the office of Keeper of the Forests beyond the Trent between 1389 and 1425. He was Chief Commissioner to perform the duties of the Constable of England in 1391. He held the office of Keeper of Wark Castle between February 1396/97 and September 1398. He held the office of Constable of the Tower of London between 21 September 1397 and 30 October 1397. He gained the title of 1st Earl of Westmorland [England] on 29 September 1397, for loyalty to King Richard II when the later struck back at the Lords Appellant who in 1387 had engineered convictions for treason against King Richard's friends. He held the office of Guardian of the truce in the East March on 28 November 1398. He held the office of Marshal of England between 1399 and 1413. In July 1399 when he sided with his brother-in-law, the banished Duke of Hereford, against King Richard II, after the Duke (later King Henry IV) returned to England. He was invested as a Privy Counsellor (P.C.) before 4 December 1399. He was Commissioner to treat with the Romans for the marriage of Princess Blanche on 13 February 1400/1. He held the office of Keeper of Roxburghe Castle between March 1401/2 and 1408. He was invested as a Knight, Order of the Garter (K.G.) circa 1403. He held the office of Warden of Berwick and the Eastern March in 1403. He held the office of Warden of Carlisle and the Western March between 1403 and 1414. On 29 May 1405 at Shipton Moor, Yorkshire, England, he intercepted the rebellious Archbishop Scrope and the young Lord Mowbray, where, after a friendly conference, he arrested them in an unscrupulous manner. He was a member of the Council of Regency in 1415, during King Henry V's absence abroad. He was a member of the Council of Regency in 1422, during the minority of King Henry VI.
He was survived by most of his 23 children! He was a great church builder, 'curious flat headed windows being peculiar to the churches on the Nevill manors'. When he died, he left money to complete the College of Staindrop which he founded near Raby, and was buried at Staindrop, where his alabaster effigy in armour between his two wives 'remains the finest sepulchral monument in the north of England.'
Children of Sir Ralph de Neville, 1st Earl of Westmorland and Lady Margaret de Stafford
Lady Maud Neville b. b 1384, d. Oct 1438
Lady Alice Neville b. c 1384
Lady Philippe Neville b. b 1385, d. bt 8 Jul 1453 - 5 Jan 1458
John de Neville, Lord Neville b. b 1387, d. b 20 May 1420
Sir Ralph de Neville, 2nd Earl of Westmoreland b. c 1392, d. 25 Feb 1458
Lady Elizabeth Neville b. b 1393
Lady Anne de Neville b. b 1394
Lady Margaret Neville b. b 1395, d. bt 4 Mar 1464 - 3 Mar 1465
Lady Anastasia Neville b. b 1396
Children of Sir Ralph de Neville, 1st Earl of Westmorland and Lady Joan de Beaufort
Lady Katherine Neville b. c 1397, d. a 1483
Lady Eleanor de Neville b. c 1397, d. 1472
Sir Richard de Neville, 5th Earl of Salisbury b. 1400, d. 31 Dec 1460
Robert de Neville b. c 1404, d. 8 Jul 1457 or 9 Jul 1457
Sir William de Neville, 1st and last Earl of Kent b. b 1412, d. 9 Jan 1462/63
Sir Edward Neville, 1st Lord Abergavenny b. b 1414, d. 18 Oct 1476
Lady Anne Neville b. b 1414, d. 20 Sep 1480
Lady Cecily Neville b. 3 May 1415, d. 31 May 1495
George Neville, 1st Lord Latimer b. b 1416, d. 30 Dec 1469
John Neville b. b 1425
Cuthbert de Neville b. b 1425
Thomas de Neville b. b 1425
Henry de Neville b. b 1425
Joan Neville b. b 1425
Sir Ralph Neville 1st Earl of Westmorland 
