[6] During the time of the Roman occupation this industry grew, with the distinctive Purbeck marble being used for decorative purposes in buildings as far away as London.

"[7] The Danish ships were driven by a storm onto Peveril Point, a shallow rocky reef outcropping from the southern end of Swanage Bay.

A monument topped (historically incorrectly) by cannonballs was built in 1862 by John Mowlem at the southern end of the seafront promenade to mark this event - interpreted as great naval victory by King Alfred.

[10] The Great Fire of London in 1666 led to a period of large-scale reconstruction in the city, and Purbeck stone was extensively used for paving.

[12] The idea that Swanage could become a tourist destination was first encouraged by a local MP William Morton Pitt in the early 19th century, who converted a mansion in the town into a luxury hotel.

[15] John Mowlem made his business in London by importing stone into the city from around the country, including Purbeck limestone.

The clock tower, commemorating the Duke of Wellington, designed by Arthur Ashpitel, was built in 1854 at the southern approach to the old London Bridge.

[22] After the Second World War the town, like many other seaside resorts and indeed the country at large, suffered a recession with few people able to spare the money for holidaying.

[28] In terms of UK parliamentary representation, Swanage falls within the constituency of South Dorset and is represented since 2024 by Lloyd Hatton of Labour.

[31] Working groups and committees are formed for specific concerns and functions such as; Transport, Capital Projects and General Operations.

As with the rest of the British Isles Swanage experiences a maritime climate with warm (but not hot) summers and cool winters.

Within this climate zone, Swanage's coastal location ensures a smaller range in annual temperature than in places further inland.

The Met Office operates a weather station at the town,[34] and temperature extremes recorded range from −9.4 °C (15.1 °F) in January 1963[35] up to 30.2 °C (86.4 °F) during July 1976.

Swanage's primary sources of employment are wholesale and retail trade (including mechanics), health and social work, and accommodation and food service activities.

There is a brickworks on the outskirts of the town[38] that uses the Wealden Clay found in the valley for producing bricks, and quarrying still continues to the south.

[41] Performing a dual role as a 400-seat theatre and cinema, the complex also hosts a bar and restaurant and a small collection of shops.

While the popularity of the event has waned somewhat from its peak in the early 1990s, with fewer oil employees in the area, there is still a large gathering each year, spilling out into the square and High Street at midnight.

[45] The town is served by these local newspapers: There are several church congregations in Swanage, many of which meet at sites of historic interest.

[51] Swanage is accessible by main road either through Wareham and its bypass or via the Sandbanks Ferry which provides a shorter route to Bournemouth.

In February 2013 the Swanage Railway obtained a government grant of £1.47 million to re-introduce regular services to the main line at Wareham.

Together with Swanage Railway trains from Wareham, boat trips from Poole and the scenic bus route from Bournemouth, this provides an unusually wide and attractive range of public transport options with low carbon footprint for visiting the town.

[62] The museum had previously been housed in the historical Tithe Barn building; however, mounting maintenance costs[63] forced the relocation of much of the collection to the new site, with the remainder in storage.

[76] Swanage is represented in a number of sports, including football, rugby, cricket, croquet, hockey, sailing and rowing.

Swanage Town and Herston F.C., who play in the Dorset Premier League [77] have a dedicated football ground with limited covered seating and associated social club.

The town is on the Dorset Coast Path with attractive cliffs walks to Old Harry Rocks and Studland to the north, and Durlston Head and Lulworth Cove to the south and west.

[85] Swanage bay provides a well sheltered environment for a range of watersports, including swimming, kayaking, canoeing, sailing, windsurfing and jetskiing.

[86] It is one of the most popular sea water training sites for dive schools and clubs to take trainee divers due to the sheltered conditions within the bay.

[89] Swanage Sea Rowing Club, formed in 2001 has been highly successful and currently has over 100 members and four Cornish pilot gigs of its own,[90] funded through donations.

Competitions take place at regattas of which the club attends several per year, including the World Pilot Gig Championships held on the Isles of Scilly.

In 1936 Nash wrote an essay entitled "Swanage or Seaside Surrealism", in which he described the town as having something "of a dream image where things are so often incongruous and slightly frightening in their relation to time or place.