Sudbrook, Monmouthshire
| Sudbrook | |
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 Sudbrook showing the line of the old branch railway which divides the village |
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 Sudbrook
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| Sudbrook shown within Monmouthshire | |
| OS grid reference | ST502876 |
| Principal area | |
| Ceremonial county | |
| Country | Wales |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | CALDICOT |
| Postcode district | NP26 |
| Dialling code | 01291 |
| Police | Gwent |
| Fire | South Wales |
| Ambulance | Welsh |
| EU Parliament | Wales |
| UK Parliament | |
Sudbrook is a village in Monmouthshire, south east Wales. It is located 4 miles south west of Chepstow and 1 mile east of Caldicot. It lies close to the Second Severn Crossing on the Severn Estuary, and adjoins the village of Portskewett. It was largely built in the late 19th century for workers on the Severn railway tunnel. At that time it was also known as Southbrook.
Sudbrook was of early historic importance in guarding the Severn estuary at an ancient ferry crossing place. An Iron age hillfort is located on the coast, probably built and occupied by the Silures from the 2nd century BC and occupied by the Romans from the 1st century AD until the 4th century. The hillfort was originally much bigger than now having been eroded over the centuries. Finds of Roman coins at Black Rock, Portskewett, show that the ferry crossing was in use in Roman times, on the route between the Roman stations of Aquae Sulis (Bath) and Venta Silurum (Caerwent).
According to tradition, Caradog Freichfras, the Welsh ruler of Gwent in the 5th century or 6th century AD, moved his court from Caerwent to the Portskewett area, possibly to the fort.
The ruined Holy Trinity church stands near the Severn cliff. It has mostly fallen into the sea over the centuries. The nave walls date from the 12th century; the chancel was added in the 14th century and the south porch in the 15th century. The preaching cross which is now inside the church was originally outside and was probably moved to prevent it falling into the sea as the cliff eroded. The area around the church was probably the site of the original medieval village. A manor house and other village buildings stood nearby but later moved inland, probably when climate changes in the 14th and 15th centuries led to the widening of the estuary and the erosion of the cliff. By 1720 the church had fallen down and much of the churchyard had fallen into the river with human bones from the graves often being found on the shore.
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Wikipedia