Swaffham 99679 222990602 2008-07-02T01:58:24Z 86.133.37.22 Addition of external link to Swaffham church online gallery {{Infobox UK place | official_name= Swaffham | country= England | region= East of England | shire_county= [[Norfolk]] | shire_district= [[Breckland]] | constituency_westminster= [[South West Norfolk (UK Parliament constituency)|South West Norfolk]] | population= 6,935 ([[2001 UK census|2001]]) | os_grid_reference= TF815095 | latitude= 52.652893 | longitude= 0.684285 | post_town= SWAFFHAM | postcode_area= PE | postcode_district= PE37 | dial_code= 01760 }} '''Swaffham''' is a [[market town]] and [[civil parish]] in the [[England|English]] [[county]] of [[Norfolk]]. The town was originally situated on the [[A47 road|A47]], some [[1 E4 m|20 km]] east of the town of [[King's Lynn]] and [[1 E4 m|50 km]] west of the city of [[Norwich]]. The A47 now avoids the town, using a bypass opened in 1981.<ref>Ordnance Survey (1999). ''OS Explorer Map 236 – King's Lynn, Downham Market & Swaffham''. ISBN 0-319-21867-8.</ref> The civil parish has an area of [[1 E7 m²|29.57 km²]] and in the [[United Kingdom Census 2001|2001 census]] had a population of 6,935 in 3,130 households. For the purposes of local government, the parish falls within the [[Non-metropolitan district|district]] of [[Breckland (district)|Breckland]].<ref>Office for National Statistics & Norfolk County Council (2001). ''[http://www.norfolk.gov.uk/consumption/groups/public/documents/general_resources/ncc017867.xls Census population and household counts for unparished urban areas and all parishes]''. Retrieved [[December 2]], [[2005]].</ref> Its name came from [[Old English language|Anglo-Saxon]] ''Swǣfa hām'' = "the homestead of the [[Swabian]]s"; some of them presumably came with the Angles and Saxons. About [[1 E3 m|8 km]] to the north of Swaffham can be found the ruins of the formerly important [[Castle Acre Priory]] and [[Castle Acre Castle]]. By the [[14th century|14th]] and [[15th century|15th]] centuries Swaffham had a flourishing [[sheep]] and [[wool]] industry. As a result of this prosperity, the town has a large market place. The Market Cross here was built by George Walpole, 3rd [[Baron Walpole|Earl of Orford]] and presented to the town in 1783.<ref>Ripper, B. (1979) ''Ribbons from the Pedlar's Pack'' p126 ISBN 0-9506728-0-7</ref> On the top is the statue of [[Ceres (mythology)|Ceres]], the Roman goddess of the harvest. On the west side of Swaffham Market Place are several old buildings which for many years housed the historic Hamond's Grammar School, as a plaque on the wall of the main building explains. The Hamond's grammar school building now serves as the sixth form for the local high school. Harry Carter, the school's art teacher, was responsible for a great number of the carved [[village sign]]s that are now found in many of Norfolk's towns and villages, most notably perhaps Swaffham's own sign commemorating the legendary Pedlar of Swaffham,<ref>[http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/eng/meft/meft21.htm The Pedlar of Swaffham.] ''More English Fairy Tales by [[Joseph Jacobs]] ([[1894]])''. Retrieved on [[2007-03-27]]</ref><ref>[http://www.oldcity.org.uk/norwich/names/pedlar.php The Pedlar of Swaffham.] ''Old City – Names and Legends''. Retrieved on [[2007-03-27]]</ref> which is in the corner of the market place just opposite the old school's gates. Harry was the nephew of the archaeologist [[Howard Carter]]. Until [[1968]] it had a [[Swaffham railway station|railway station]] on the [[Great Eastern Railway]] line from [[King's Lynn]]. Just after Swaffham, the line split into two, one branch heading south to [[Thetford, Norfolk|Thetford]], and the other west towards [[Dereham]]. The railways were closed as part of the [[Beeching Axe]], through the possibility of rebuilding a direct rail link from [[Norwich]] to [[King's Lynn]] via Swaffham is occasionally raised. [[Image:Swaffham map1946.png|thumb|right|A map of Swaffham from 1946]] Today the town is known for the presence of two large [[wind turbine]]s, and the associated [[Ecotech Centre]]. The turbines are owned and operated by [[Ecotricity]], and together generate more than 3 [[Megawatt]]s.<ref>Ecotricity. ''[http://www.ecotricity.co.uk/projects/op_ecotech.html Swaffham-I]'' and ''[http://www.ecotricity.co.uk/projects/op_swaffhamII.html Swaffham-II]''. Retrieved [[February 10]] [[2006]].</ref> These have now been joined now by a further eight turbines at [[North Pickenham]]. In the summer of 2006, location filming was done in the town for the [[ITV1]] series ''[[Kingdom (TV series)|Kingdom]]'', starring [[Stephen Fry]]. ''The Startled Duck'' in the TV series is better known as ''The Greyhound Inn'' in which the [[Earl of Orford]] created the first [[hare coursing|coursing]] club open to the public in 1776.<ref>[http://www.gulfcoastgreyhounds.org/hist-18-19-cent.html History of Greyhounds: 18th and 19th Centuries<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Swaffham used to be home to [[Michael Carroll (lottery winner)|Lotto Lout Michael Carroll]] who won £9.7 Million on the [[National Lottery]]. He still owns a Spanish style home along the [[A47 road]] just outside Swaffham but lives in nearby [[Downham Market]]. == Notable present and former residents == *[[Howard Carter]], archaeologist who discovered the tomb of [[Tutankhamun]] *[[Stephen Fry]], actor and writer *[[W.E. Johns]], author of the [[Biggles]] books *[[Christopher Dawes]], author of ''[[Rat Scabies And The Holy Grail]]'' *[[Michael Carroll (lottery winner)|Michael Carroll]], lottery winner *Sir [[Arthur Knyvet Wilson]], VC, GCB, OM, GCVO (1842 – 1921), First Sea Lord. ==References== {{Reflist|2}} ==External links== {{oscoor gbx|TF815095}}. *[http://www.photoboxgallery.com/thislandwalesphotography/6751447 Online Gallery of Swaffham Church] *[http://www.origins.org.uk/genuki/NFK/places/s/swaffham/ Information from Genuki Norfolk] on Swaffham. *[http://www.swaffhamtowncouncil.co.uk/ Swaffham Town Council website] *[http://www.swaffhammuseum.co.uk/exhibitions.html Swaffham museum Howard Carter exhibit] *[http://www.swaffhamonline.co.uk/gallery/c1.html Swaffham photo gallery] on the Swaffham Online website. [[Category:Market towns in England]] [[Category:Towns in Norfolk]] [[Category:Breckland]] [[ro:Swaffham]] [[vo:Swaffham]]