Charnwood is a local government district with borough status in northern Leicestershire, England. It is named for Charnwood Forest, which it contains. The main town is Loughborough.

It was formed on April 1, 1974 as a merger of the municipal borough of Loughborough, Shepshed urban district and the Barrow upon Soar Rural District. It was granted borough status on May 15, 1974.

To the south it borders Leicester, about 20km away from Loughborough. There is a moderately urbanised A6 corridor between the towns and close to the River Soar, including Quorn, Barrow-on-Soar, Mountsorrel, Birstall, Thurmaston, Syston and East Goscote. Shepshed, to the west of Loughborough, is the other major town in the district.

There are two Parliamentary constituencies covering the district. Charnwood is represented by the Conservative Stephen Dorrell, the former National Heritage Secretary (1994-1995) and Health Secretary (1995-1997) during John Major's government. Loughborough is represented by the Labour Party's Andy Reed.

Parishes

• Anstey
• Barkby, Barkby Thorpe, Barrow upon Soar, Beeby, Birstall, Burton on the Wolds
• Cossington, Cotes
• East Goscote
• Hathern, Hoton
• Mountsorrel
• Newtown Linford
• Prestwold
• Queniborough, Quorn
• Ratcliffe on the Wreake, Rearsby, Rothley
• Seagrave, Shepshed, Sileby, South Croxton, Swithland, Syston
• Thrussington, Thurcaston and Cropston, Thurmaston
• Ulverscroft
• Walton on the Wolds, Wanlip, Woodhouse, Wymeswold

References