The Church of St Thomas a Becket is located in

Shirenewton Shirenewton () is a village and community (Wales), community in Monmouthshire, south east Wales. It is located 3 miles due west of Chepstow, 5 miles (8 km) by road. The village stands around 500 feet (154 m) above sea level, and has extens ...

Monmouthshire Monmouthshire ( ; ) is a Principal areas of Wales, county in the South East Wales, south east of Wales. It borders Powys to the north; the English counties of Herefordshire and Gloucestershire to the north and east; the Severn Estuary to the s ...

, Wales. In the late 12th century the land was inherited by

Henry de Bohun Sir Henry de Bohun (died 23 June 1314) was an English knight, of Anglo-Norman origins, the grandson of Humphrey de Bohun, 2nd Earl of Hereford. He was killed on the first day of the Battle of Bannockburn by Robert the Bruce. Riding in the vang ...

. The church was built by his son

Humphrey Humphrey is both a masculine given name and a surname. An earlier form, not attested since Medieval times, was Hunfrid. Notable people with the name include: People with the given name Medieval period :''Ordered chronologically'' *Hunfrid of Pr ...

after he inherited the title in 1220, and was dedicated to St. Thomas à Becket who had been assassinated in 1170 and

canonised Canonization is the declaration of a deceased person as an officially recognized saint, specifically, the official act of a Christian communion declaring a person worthy of public veneration and entering their name in the canon catalogue of sai ...

three years later. The chronicler

Adam of Usk Adam of Usk (, c. 1352–1430) was a Welsh priest, canonist, and late medieval historian and chronicler. His writings were hostile to King Richard II of England. Patronage Born at Usk in what is now Monmouthshire (Sir Fynwy), south-east Wales, ...

, who held the post in 1399, was one of the earliest known rectors of the church.Sir

Joseph Bradney Colonel Sir Joseph Alfred Bradney, (11 January 1859 – 21 July 1933) was a British soldier, historian and antiquarian, best known for his multi-volume ''A History of Monmouthshire from the Coming of the Normans into Wales down to the Present T ...

, ''A History of Monmouthshire: The Hundred of Caldicot'', 1932 The church was designated a

Grade II listed In the United Kingdom, a listed building is a structure of particular architectural or historic interest deserving of special protection. Such buildings are placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, H ...

building on 19 August 1955. Services are normally held at 9:45am on Sundays.

Architecture and fittings

Much of the current church, including the fortified tower,

choir A choir ( ), also known as a chorale or chorus (from Latin ''chorus'', meaning 'a dance in a circle') is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform or in other words ...

chancel In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar, including the Choir (architecture), choir and the sanctuary (sometimes called the presbytery), at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building. It may termi ...

and

nave The nave () is the central part of a church, stretching from the (normally western) main entrance or rear wall, to the transepts, or in a church without transepts, to the chancel. When a church contains side aisles, as in a basilica-type ...

, originally dates from the 13th century, although it was partly rebuilt and completely restored in 1853. History of Shirenewton Church
/ref>John Newman, ''The Buildings of Wales: Gwent/Monmouthshire'', 2000, The church contains a monument to

Ian Oswald Liddell Captain Ian Oswald Liddell VC (19 October 1919 – 21 April 1945) was a British recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces ...

, who won a

Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious decoration of the Orders, decorations, and medals of the United Kingdom, British decorations system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British ...

during the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. He was the grandson of Sir Charles Oswald Liddell of Shirenewton Hall. The four-faced clock was installed after the

First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

. A Millennium Grant has helped pay for floodlighting of the church.

References

External links

Official website

at shirenewton.org {{DEFAULTSORT:Shirenewton, Saint Thomas A Becket 13th-century church buildings in Wales Grade II listed churches in Monmouthshire English churches dedicated to St Thomas Becket