Before the
Norman invasion of Wales, the Shirenewton area formed part of the forest of
Wentwood (). At the time of the
Domesday Book, it was part of the lands at
Caldicot which were held by Durand, the
Sheriff of
Gloucester. Durand and his successor as sheriff, his nephew
Walter FitzRoger also known as Walter de Gloucester, had part of the forest cleared around the year 1100, and established a small settlement which was known as "Sheriff's Newton (or New Town)" or, in Latin,
Nova Villa. The manor then became known as Caldecot-cum-Newton, and in some documents the village was called Newton Netherwent. "Netherwent" is the English name given to the Welsh
cantref of
Gwent-is-coed (Gwent beneath the wood, i.e. Wentwood), with "-went" deriving from
Venta, a
Brythonic word found in the Latin name,
Venta Silurum (modern
Caerwent). The name "Sheriff's Newton" became contracted over the years into Shirenewton. After Walter retired to become a monk at
Llanthony Priory, he was followed as Sheriff by his son,
Milo Fitzwalter (Miles de Gloucester), who became
Earl of Hereford and
Lord High Constable of England in 1141. The area north west of the village became known as the Earl's Wood about that time, hence modern
Earlswood.
Shirenewton Hall The
Grade II listed building Shirenewton Hall, once the residence of
botanist and
meteorologist Edward Joseph Lowe, is a large residence at the top of the hill, commanding extensive views of the
Severn Estuary and beyond. The Hall was built on the site of an earlier
Tudor mansion in the early 1800s, and extended in 1910 by Charles Oswald Liddell, who created the oriental gardens. In 1988 the house was the setting for the film
The Woman He Loved, the story of
Edward VIII's abdication. Just behind the hall there was formerly an ancient mansion, belonging to the Blethyn family, and said to have been once occupied by
Bishop Blethyn, who died there in 1590.
Parish church The
Church of St. Thomas à Becket was built by
Humphrey de Bohun. Much of the current church, such as the fortified tower, choir, chancel and nave, date from the 13th century, although it was rebuilt and restored in 1853. A monument to
Ian Oswald Liddell, who won a
Victoria Cross during the
Second World War is located at the church. He was the grandson of Sir Charles Oswald Liddell of Shirenewton Hall. According to the
London Gazette:"In Germany on April 3rd, 1945, Captain Liddell was commanding a company of the Coldstream Guards ordered to capture intact a bridge over the river Ems, near
Lingen, Germany. The bridge was heavily defended and prepared for demolition. Captain Liddell ran forward alone, scaling a 10ft. high road block, to neutralise the 500 lb. charges. Unprotected, and all the time under intense fire, he crossed and re-crossed the whole length of the bridge, disconnecting the charges at both ends and underneath it. His task completed, he climbed on the road block and signalled to the leading platoon that the way was clear for the advance across the river.The bridge was captured intact, and the way cleared for the advance over the river. Captain Liddell's outstanding gallantry and superb example of courage will never be forgotten by those who saw it. This very brave officer later died of wounds subsequently received in action." The former rectory
Cae-Pw-Cella on Red House Lane is a Grade II listed Tudor Revival Villa dating from 1840. ==Governance==