Church of St Thomas a Becket

The Church of St Thomas a Becket stands in the village of Shirenewton, Monmouthshire, Wales. Built in the 13th century, it replaced an earlier structure on land inherited by Henry de Bohun in the late 12th century. His son Humphrey commissioned the church after becoming lord in 1220 and dedicated it to Thomas à Becket, murdered in 1170 and canonised three years later. The chronicler Adam of Usk served as rector here in 1399. In 1955 the church received Grade II listed status. The building retains much of its original 13th-century fabric, including a fortified tower, choir, chancel and nave, though it was partly rebuilt and restored in 1853. Inside hangs a memorial to Ian Oswald Liddell, who won a Victoria Cross in the Second World War and was grandson of Sir Charles Oswald Liddell of Shirenewton Hall. A four-faced clock was added after the First World War, and modern floodlighting was installed with help from a Millennium Grant. Visitors find a simple medieval church with later additions set among quiet village lanes. The tower and walls show the strength of 13th-century construction. Inside, the monument to the Victoria Cross holder stands near the nave. The clock faces mark the passing of time over the graveyard. Floodlights now illuminate the stonework at night, drawing attention to its historic lines.