Swithland

Swithland is a village in the Charnwood borough of Leicestershire, England.

It is located in the old Charnwood Forest, between Cropston and Woodhouse / Woodhouse Eaves. Although only a small village, it has a village hall, a church, and a pub (The Griffin Inn - [http://www.griffininnswithland.com] ). Swithland Reservoir is one of Leicestershire's best kept secrets. Reached by Kinchley lane from Mountsorrel, there are beautiful views and ample bird-watching opportunities - as well as good walking in the nearby area.

Swithland Wood is better known. Near to Bradgate Park, this large area of woodland around a former slate quarry is a popular walking, riding, and picnicking spot.

Swithland Spring Water sells locally-bottled spring water which is collected from the surrounding hills.

Swithland was also the name of a local car retailer - Swithland Motors, which was founded in 1975 by local businessman John Hayes. It went out of business in November 1993 with debts of £15million and a court case three-and-half years later saw Hayes sentenced to three years in prison for fraud relating to a financial scandal at the company. [http://www.motortrader.com/21399/SWITHLAND-BOSSES-FOUND-GUILTY-.ehtml]

Towards the Rothley end of the village runs the Great Central Railway. When opened in the late 1800s, it was planned for Swithland to have its own station. This never came into fruition, but a bricked-over stairway under the bridge of the railway provides evidence that these plans were taken into serious considerationFact|date=September 2008. A small set of railway exchange sidings were built at this location, however the station itself was built closer to RothleyFact|date=September 2008. The preserved Great Central Railway is currently restoring these sidings to working orderFact|date=September 2008.