As I recall, it was Anne Briggs' recording of The Recruited Collier (on the Iron Muse? there's a question for Malcolm Douglas if ever I saw one) that made it so popular.

The Beeswing is a tune as well as a song to a different tune - a friend of mine ordered a Tom McConville CD because it had "The Beeswing" on it, and then found it wasn't the Richard Thompson song, but the other tune. She subsequently bought the CD with the song on - but was disappointed because it had a guitar accompaniment rather than Tom fiddling. I think Tom performing it live is the best version I've heard.

Kitty