Within the parish, about a mile to the north-east of the village, is the Iron Age hill fort of Badbury Rings.

Just to the west of the fort was a small Romano-British town, believed to be that listed in the Antonine Itinerary as Vindocladia.

A local legend tells how in the year 1706 a travelling fishmonger was one day passing through the village of Shapwick, when, unbeknownst to him, a crab fell off his cart.

The fishmonger continued on his journey, but the local villagers, who had never seen a crab before, gathered around the creature, poking it with sticks, believing it to be a devil or monster.

After 2019 structural changes to local government in England, Shapwick is part of the Stour and Allen Vale ward which elects 1 member to Dorset Council.