It is thought Hanwood derives its name from the Teutonic word "Han" or "Hane", meaning "cock", denoting a large number of woodcock living in what were then extensive woods of the vicinity.

[3] Hanwood has a small combined post office and shop,[4] a garage (but no longer a petrol station), a pub (The Cock Inn), and a primary school, named St. Thomas' & St. Anne's C. of E., which serves an area previously covered by schools at Cruckmeole and Lea Cross as well as Hanwood itself.

[8] The chiefly red brick nave-and-chancel church was rebuilt in 1701, and reconstructed in 1856 by Shrewsbury architect John Laurence Randal, who rebuilt the south wall of the nave, extended the nave westwards, and added the north porch, vestry and tiled timber bellcote.

The stained glass windows in the chancel and one of the others in the nave, were installed in 1856 by Shrewsbury glass-stainers David and Charles Evans.

The stone pulpit was given by his parents in memory of Walter Atherton (killed in 1917), replacing a wooden pulpit that had been in the church since before its 1856 rebuild, and a brass eagle-shaped lectern in memory of his kinsman, Charles William Atherton (killed 1915), while a marble plaque lists five members of the De Grey-Warter family who died on active service in India, World War I and World War II.

[16] A by-product of the coal mining was clay which was utilized in brick-making, in addition to that from a claypit in Orchard Lane, Hanwood.

[17] It utilized the coal from the Hanwood pit, which was known for easily igniting and producing an intense heat, but ceased working by 1945.

The parish is within the reporting and circulation area of two newspapers, the daily evening Shropshire Star and the weekly Shrewsbury Chronicle.

They were the Shropshire County League champions for the 2007–8 season and have since been promoted again to reach their present position at Step 7 of the English football pyramid.

On 4 March 2022, the ground hosted a match by outside Sunday League teams Bull In The Barne United and Harlescott Rangers when Brazilian guest player for Bull In The Barne, Roberto Carlos scored a goal during a 4–3 defeat to Harlescott Rangers.