An illustrated history of the parish of Hanley Castle was published by The Hanleys Village Society in June 2010.

The Hanleys Village Society put together a ‘History of Hanley Castle and Hanley Swan’ written by local resident Malcolm Fare and contains 150 illustrations and many accounts of what life was like in the villages in the past. It traces the history of the manor and the castle and views the drama of the Civil War through the actions of the two leading families: the Lechmeres and the Hornyolds

These two families found themselves on opposing sides, so it looks at how estates were consolidated by the enclosure of common land at the end of the 18th century and identifies the changing occupations of villagers as seen through the census returns from 1841 to 1911.

As well as recording accounts of village life in the early 20th century, the book traces the development of the shops, pubs, churches and schools that have played an important part in the lives of local people. The changing appearance of one of Hanley Swan’s focal points; its much-loved pond, is illustrated by many old photographs and even makes reference to the various Pond Wardens over the past few years which makes reference to Neil Verlander the Pond Warden from 2009 to 2019.

Published with the help of a Heritage Lottery Fund grant, the book is available from the Hanley Swan village store, local bookshops and tourist offices at £10. It really is a very interesting read and something that will enrich your visit to this wonderful part of the country.