Swanton Abbott in Norfolk

Search for: In Town: Or Keyword:

Swanton Abbott - a pretty Norfolk village inbetween Cromer and Norwich

Swanton Abbott, in north Norfolk, is a small picturesque village which lies four miles south of North Walsham and fifteen miles south of the seaside town of Cromer. The city of Norwich is just over thirteen miles to the south of Swanton Abbott. This small village consists of 167 households with a population of over 400 and is certainly worth a visit.

The main place of worship in this beautiful village, and the focal point of the community, is St Michael’s Church which was built on a hilltop on the site of an Anglo Saxon church, though nothing of this can be seen today. The present church was rebuilt, starting with the tower in about 1340 and finishing with the Chancel in the mid fifteenth century, with some later additions. Swanton Abbott, along with the parishes of Scottow, Sloley, Tunstead, Westwick and Worstead it is part of the Worstead Group of Parishes. There is an alternative place of worship in the form of the Wesleyan Reform Union Chapel, which also holds regular coffee mornings.

The village has its own Post Office and boasts a number of small independent businesses, one of the largest of which is Citibuild, which specializes in mini-piling and underpinning. There were two pubs in the village, the Weavers Arms which unfortunately closed in 2003 and the Jolly Farmers which closed in 2010 but is re-opening in 2011 so visitors will not go thirsty. Swanton Abbott also has its own Community Primary School which is embarking on creating its own Virtual Learning Environment where the teachers can manage each pupil and the pupils can access the internet to help with their work.

For those seeking holiday accommodation in this area, Walnut Tree Barn is based in a quiet rural location. It is a recently restored 2 bedroom converted dairy barn and offers good quality self catering accommodation.