Ralph swapped land that he owned at Wolverhampton with King John, obtaining estates at Kingswinford which proved very valuable to later Lords of Dudley during the Industrial Age.
[2] Around 1205, Ralph swapped land he held at Wolverhampton with King John, obtaining estates at Kingswinford, including Pensnett Chase.
[3][4] The Chase was used by later Lords of Dudley as a hunting ground and much later proved to be a rich source of coal and other minerals.
[5] Ralph married Margaret le Gras, niece of William, Earl of Pembroke.
[2] The couple had three sons, Ralph II, William Percival and Roger, who successively inherited the barony.