The first reference to Ribaldeira dates back to the 13th century, when Beatriz de Gusmão, bastard daughter of King Afonso X of Castile and León, received the lordship of the town of Torres Vedras from King Afonso III on 25 February 1267. Later, on 28 June 1277, he received the patronage of the town's churches and, finally, on 22 January 1279, in addition to the alcalde and some properties in Matacães, the Ribaldeira farm. The quinta, which had belonged to a treasurer of King Afonso III, was given by King Dinis to his sister, Sancha, in 1280. Twenty years later, it was in the possession of Queen Beatriz, who donated it to the Order of Santiago on 14 June 1338. It remained in her possession until at least the 17th century, with Sebastião de Sá e Meneses becoming its commendator on 17 December 1658. A small village developed around the same royal estate, on its outskirts, which seems to explain the origin of the place name, according to tradition, originally recorded as Rabaldeira. In 1309, the village already had 34 dwellings, making it the 7th most populated place in the medieval Torriense area, which had around a hundred and a half inhabitants.

In the Parish Memoir of 1758, the curate Domingos Nunes referred to the existence in the parish of São Pedro de Dois Portos of "a court called Rebaldeira, where it has its town hall, pillory and jail, which formerly had ordinary jurisdiction with two judges and two almotacés, clerk and prosecutor, whose jurisdiction is no longer exercised today because it is in dispute with the Torres Vedras City Council, to whose jurisdiction it is subject and whose privileges have been confirmed by the kings of Portugal".

The jurisdiction stretched for two and a half leagues in length and five in diameter, including the parishes of Dois Portos and São Domingos de Carmões, and part of the parishes of Runa, Salvador do Mundo, Santo Quintino and Sapataria. The village of Ribaldeira then had 59 dwellings with 291 inhabitants, and was the most populated in the parish.

In 1763, the Ribaldeira town council was certainly in place, with regular meetings, the minutes of which bear witness. Perhaps this was a de facto institution! On 6 November 1836, the parish of Nossa Senhora da Luz da Carvoeira became part of the Judicial District, detaching itself from Torres Vedras. But the county and municipality were extinguished by decree on 24 October 1855. This was the end of its administrative and judicial independence, a defence that was assured but difficult and conflictual at various times.