A short history of St Thomas’ Church, Hanwood
The church has existed at least since the 12thcentury, as there is a record of a Rector for Hanwood.
Chronology
|
1277 |
Earliest recorded Priest in Hanwood. |
|
1559 |
Earliest existing Parish Registers begin. |
|
1701 |
Church rebuilt in red brick, with entrance porch on south side. |
|
c1780 |
Porch moved from south side to west end after building of a family vault. |
|
1799 |
Patronage of Living (right to present Rector to the parish) bought by John Warter of Cruckmeole whose descendants (living outside Shropshire) are patrons today. |
|
1856 |
Church rebuilt, again in brick, and enlarged, floor tiled and entrance porch moved to north side. |
|
1873 |
All but one volume of Parish Registers destroyed in fire at Hanwood Rectory. Fortunately transcripts of earlier registers existed. |
|
1902 |
Churchyard railed, to mark Edward VII’s Coronation. |
|
1940 |
Churchyard extended. |
|
1975 |
'Social area' for meetings etc created under west gallery |
|
1976 |
Present organ bought from Chepstow Methodist Church, south Wales, replacing earlier organ (now at Longnor, a Church near Shrewsbury) and placed in west gallery |
|
1979 |
Roof retiled, paid for with 'buy-a-tile' scheme in parish |
|
1999 |
Last resident Rector of Hanwood moves out. Hanwood now shares a Rector with Annscroft and Longden and Pulverbatch |
|
2003 |
Church extension built at west end, adding meeting room, toilet and kitchen facilities |
|
2010 |
Churchyard extended again (extension consecrated May 2011) |
Features
The Font is situated just inside the main entrance and is Norman.
The Nineteenth century Chancel windows, except central panel (depicting St Peter, from Winchester School) are made by Shrewsbury glaziers Betton and Evans. There is other Victorian stained glass in the Nave.
The pulpit is built of stone, replacing the earlier wooden structure. The pulpit and brass lectern are memorials to cousins killed in World War I.
There are churchyard gravestones dating as far back as 18th century.
There are many memorial wall plaques in the nave, dating from the late 18thcentury. Many commemorate the family of our patron (Warter); The families of Harries and Jenkins also feature.
There is also a brass plaque to Clopton Allen Lloyd-Jones (died 1918), who scored the winning goal in the 1880 FA Cup Final for Clapham Rovers, Oxford University were their opponents.
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