Swanage

Swanage
Town
Coat of arms of Swanage
Swanage Location within Dorset
Population	9,601 (2011)[1]
OS grid reference	SZ0278
Civil parish	Swanage
Unitary authority	Dorset
Ceremonial county	Dorset
Region	South West
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	SWANAGE
Postcode district	BH19
Dialling code	01929
Police	Dorset
Fire	Dorset and Wiltshire
Ambulance	South Western
UK Parliament	South Dorset
List of places UK England Dorset 50°36′29″N 1°57′36″W / 50.608°N 1.960°W / 50.608; -1.960

Swanage (/ˈswɒnɪdʒ/) is a coastal town and civil parish in the south east of Dorset, England. It is at the eastern end of the Isle of Purbeck and one of its two towns,^[2] approximately 6+1⁄4 miles (10 km) south of Poole and 25 miles (40 km) east of Dorchester. In the 2011 census the civil parish had a population of 9,601.^[1] Nearby are Ballard Down and Old Harry Rocks, with Studland Bay and Poole Harbour to the north. Within the parish are Durlston Bay and Durlston Country Park to the south of the town. The parish also includes the areas of Herston, just to the west of the town, and Durlston, just to the south.

The town, originally a small port and fishing village, flourished in the Victorian era, when it first became a significant quarrying port and later a seaside resort for the rich of the day. Today the town remains a popular tourist resort, this being the town's primary industry, with many thousands of visitors coming to the town during the peak summer season, drawn by the bay's sandy beaches and other attractions.

During its history the bay was listed variously as Swanawic, Swanwich and Sandwich,^[3] and only in more recent history as Swanage.^[4]

The town is located at the eastern end of the Jurassic Coast, a World Heritage Site. The town contains many listed buildings and two conservation areas – Swanage Conservation Area and Herston Conservation Area.^[5]