Swannington is a former mining village in Leicestershire, England. It was a terminus of the early (1832) Leicester and Swannington Railway that was built to carry away its pits' output.
The parish church of Saint George was opened in 1825 to serve the townships of Swannington and Thringstone and is built on a spot reputedly chosen by William Wordsworth, a regular guest of Sir George Beaumont of nearby Coleorton Hall. It is possible that the dedication of the church to Saint George is derived from its association with this George Beaumont. A windmill in Swannington called Hough Mill was built near a nature reserve established on the remains of Califat colliery (a 19th century mine). It has been claimed as the birthplace of Robin Hood.[1]
Administratively, Swannington is a civil parish forming part of the district of North West Leicestershire.