Although himself an important figure in the West Country gentry, he is chiefly remembered for his connection with the life of his second wife and widow Honor Grenville (d. 1566), who moved into the highest society when she remarried to Arthur Plantagenet, 1st Viscount Lisle KG (d. 1542), an illegitimate son of King Edward IV, and an important figure at the court of King Henry VIII, his nephew.

He was the eldest son and heir of Sir John Basset (1441–1485) of Tehidy in Cornwall and Whitechapel in the parish of Bishops Nympton, by his wife, Elizabeth Budockshyde.

As Sheriff of Cornwall in 1497, Sir John was a target for the Cornish rebels under Richard Pendyn of Pendeen who attacked and 'dismantled' Tehidy, the family home.

He was created Knight of the Bath by King Henry VII in November 1501 at the time of the marriage of his son and heir, Prince Arthur to Katherine of Aragon.

However, as deduced by Byrne (1981), Basset lacked the financial resources to recover his inheritance,[5] which involved paying fines and recoveries to the King.

However the indenture allowed for Sir John Basset and any future wives of his to retain possession during their lives of Umberleigh and lands in Bickington.

However, after a long marriage his first wife died unexpectedly and Basset found himself at the age of 53 remarried to a new 22-year-old bride, who would provide him with the desired son and heir.

Honor finally succeeded in getting one of her young daughters appointed as a maid-of-honour to Queen Jane Seymour in 1537, who had asked her to send two to court for her selection.

In 1542 Chapuys, the Imperial ambassador, reported that on the eve of Katherine Howard's execution, the King appeared besotted with Anne Basset, and that she was a possible sixth wife.

[62] The wardship was later acquired by his step-father and future father-in-law Viscount Lisle before 1532[63] Sir John Basset was buried in his family's private Holy Trinity Chapel (now largely demolished), next to his manor house of Umberleigh.

[64] He left his wife Honor, until she remarried, all the rents and profits of his manors of Trevalga, Femarshall, Whitechapel, Holcombe, Upcott Snellard and Calston, from which she was to pay his debts and also provide dowries of 100 marks each on the marriages on each of his daughters Jane, Thomasine, Philippa, Katharine and Mary.

[65] His chest tomb with monumental brasses on top, of himself between his two wives with his children below in two small groups exists in St. Mary's Church, Atherington, to where it was moved in 1818 from Umberleigh Chapel.

[68] In a letter dated April 1534[69] Sir John Bonde wrote to Lady Lisle "the pictures of Mr Basset's tomb" have been "laid on by the hands of Oliver Tomlyng".