Swadlincote

Discover Swadlincote

Located in the heart of the National Forest, Swadlincote combines stunning natural landscapes with a long history of craftsmanship. Home to Sharpe’s Pottery Museum, Heritage and Arts Centre, with its iconic Grade II listed bottle kiln, the town is dotted with green spaces – from the 40,000 trees in Swadlincote Woodlands, to the serene surrounds of Maurice Lea Memorial Park. Here, you can find walking trails, outdoor gym equipment and a children’s play area. Visit for the weekly market, rows of traditional shops and friendly locals, who’ve affectionately nicknamed the town ‘Swad’.

For travel tips to the Hub locations, see our Travel Routes page.

Aerial photo of Sharpe's Pottery Museum showing a white-topped pottery bank surrounded by red brick industrial buildings — Sharpe's Pottery Museum. Photo Chris Beech

Hands holding a circular concave mirror showing a reflection of woodland and the top of a head — Youth Landscapers Collective courtesy of YLC the National Forest

A group of young people and two adults looking at a large multi-coloured drawing on a table surround by camera equipment set up in a woodland — Youth Landscapers Collective courtesy of YLC the National Forest 4

View of town square looking across to a red brick former Methodist Chapel and a pub — Swadlincote, via Wikimedia Commons

Two young red-headed girls are putting something together outside using wood. One girl wearing a daisy chain in her hair holds the wood as the other girl drills into the wood — Youth Landscapers Collective courtesy of YLC, the National Forest

Hands rolling ink over a yellow perspex square placed over white paper — OFFLINE by INSTAR supported by a National Forest Arts Grant photo by Julian Hughes 5

Entrance to Sharpe's Pottery Museum in a red brick industrial building attached to a large circular bottle bank with a white top — Sharpe's Pottery Museum. Photo Chris Beech

Two people sat drawing creatures on white paper. A man with a grey beard, wearing a black t-shirt is drawing with a red pen, and the other person, wearing a traditional Shetland style woollen jumper with a pattern around the yoke, is drawing with a black pen. Lots of red drawings are visible on the table — OFFLINE by INSTAR supported by a National Forest Arts Grant photo by Julian Hughes 4

A hand drawing a large caterpillar on a twig in red on a piece of white paper — OFFLINE by INSTAR supported by a National Forest Arts Grant photo by Julian Hughes

A triptych photo of a young person wearing a grey marl cardigan holding three different pots in front of their face. In the first photo, they are holding a large circular cabbage-style pot in yellow and green. In the second photo they are holding a large Cornish blue and white striped teapot, and in the third photo, they are holding a large two handled pot with a decorative pattern including a cherub in white, blue and green — Sharpe's Pottery Museum. Photo Chris Beech

A tattoed hand with the date 1963 across the fingers, and a rose running from the hand onto the arm, is holding a brown ceramic mug. Next to the jug is a hand-drawn picture of a large spider in black on paper — OFFLINE by INSTAR supported by a National Forest Arts Grant photo by Julian Hughes 2

A young man wearing headphone is holding a microphone in front of an older bald man who is holding a blue and white stripey mug and laughing. They are sat in a kitchen surrounded by Cornish ware blue and white stripey crockery — Black to Green Audio Portrait the National Forest Photo by David Severn

Aerial photo of Sharpe's Pottery Museum showing a white-topped pottery bank surrounded by red brick industrial buildings — Sharpe's Pottery Museum. Photo Chris Beech

Hands holding a circular concave mirror showing a reflection of woodland and the top of a head — Youth Landscapers Collective courtesy of YLC the National Forest

A group of young people and two adults looking at a large multi-coloured drawing on a table surround by camera equipment set up in a woodland — Youth Landscapers Collective courtesy of YLC the National Forest 4

View of town square looking across to a red brick former Methodist Chapel and a pub — Swadlincote, via Wikimedia Commons

Two young red-headed girls are putting something together outside using wood. One girl wearing a daisy chain in her hair holds the wood as the other girl drills into the wood — Youth Landscapers Collective courtesy of YLC, the National Forest

Hands rolling ink over a yellow perspex square placed over white paper — OFFLINE by INSTAR supported by a National Forest Arts Grant photo by Julian Hughes 5

Entrance to Sharpe's Pottery Museum in a red brick industrial building attached to a large circular bottle bank with a white top — Sharpe's Pottery Museum. Photo Chris Beech

Two people sat drawing creatures on white paper. A man with a grey beard, wearing a black t-shirt is drawing with a red pen, and the other person, wearing a traditional Shetland style woollen jumper with a pattern around the yoke, is drawing with a black pen. Lots of red drawings are visible on the table — OFFLINE by INSTAR supported by a National Forest Arts Grant photo by Julian Hughes 4

A hand drawing a large caterpillar on a twig in red on a piece of white paper — OFFLINE by INSTAR supported by a National Forest Arts Grant photo by Julian Hughes

A triptych photo of a young person wearing a grey marl cardigan holding three different pots in front of their face. In the first photo, they are holding a large circular cabbage-style pot in yellow and green. In the second photo they are holding a large Cornish blue and white striped teapot, and in the third photo, they are holding a large two handled pot with a decorative pattern including a cherub in white, blue and green — Sharpe's Pottery Museum. Photo Chris Beech

A tattoed hand with the date 1963 across the fingers, and a rose running from the hand onto the arm, is holding a brown ceramic mug. Next to the jug is a hand-drawn picture of a large spider in black on paper — OFFLINE by INSTAR supported by a National Forest Arts Grant photo by Julian Hughes 2

A young man wearing headphone is holding a microphone in front of an older bald man who is holding a blue and white stripey mug and laughing. They are sat in a kitchen surrounded by Cornish ware blue and white stripey crockery — Black to Green Audio Portrait the National Forest Photo by David Severn

Swadlincote Events

Derbyshire Makes Festival - Swadlincote

Sharpe's Pottery Museum. Photo Chris Beech

Sat 26 April - Sun 27 April 2025
10:00am - 3:00pm

Derbyshire Makes Festival - Swadlincote

A celebration of community and making in Swadlincote