Best of Norfolk 2012 (part 2)_Layout 1 02/02/2012 16:53 Page 66
swaffham Swaffham is making a name for itself as a serious holiday destination with great markets, a noble history and even links to Egypt!
A medieval town Next to a unique landscape
Swaffham is a fine market town in the Brecks which expanded during Norfolk’s wealthy medieval agricultural past as a centre for trading wool, and became a fashionable destination for the well-todo in Georgian times. Dominated by the 18th century Buttercross and Assembly Rooms, the town centre boasts more than 100 listed buildings. It has attracted attention recently as it was the setting for the popular ITV1 series Kingdom, which starred Stephen Fry as a kind hearted solicitor who had plenty of professional and personal adventures. Swaffham became Market Shipborough although it was shown as being next to the sea – just don’t expect to find a beach in Swaffham as you’ll be disappointed! But there are ample cafes and restaurants to enjoy while visiting the
town’s must-sees – the superb double hammer beam roof with carved angel decorations in St Peter and St Paul Church, the museum’s Egyptology room dedicated to Swaffham resident Howard Carter and his world renowned discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamen, and the UK’s largest solar panel tracking system at the Ecotech Centre. The market has its origins in the 11th century, and the town centre still hosts a thriving weekly market and eclectic outdoor auction on Saturdays, as well as regular Farmers’ Markets and a variety of indoor stalls and craft fairs in the beautifully restored Assembly Rooms. There are special events throughout the year including a cycling and walking festival in June, a food and drink festival in September and visual arts festival in October. Swaffham is the perfect gateway to exploring the diverse landscapes of the Fenland to the west, with old drove roads giving access to quiet countryside, and the Brecks to the south, with gentle slopes and dry heathland. To the north there are some hidden gems of archaeological interest with a variety of abandoned medieval villages, churches and castles to explore. Special mention should go to romantic Oxburgh Hall, a moated 15th century National Trust property with battlements and lovely grounds worth exploring in Oxborough, just a few miles out of town. And don’t miss Castle Acre (again just 10 minutes away by car) with the ruins of a Norman castle and Priory - there are a couple of good village pubs, too! To really appreciate the area’s environment and heritage, you will need your walking boots or a bicycle. Peddar’s Way, an old Roman road which runs through Swaffham, is now a long
distance footpath to the coast. There are many accessible circular routes and footpaths through a landscape rich in wildlife including rare species like the stone curlew, nightjar and woodlark, which can be viewed at Weeting Heath. The Brecks area contains some unusual features whose origins go back to the Ice Ages, like Pingo ponds. After Neolithic man cleared the natural forest with axes fashioned from flints mined in the area, heath land developed. In the past the Brecks was an open landscape of sheep walk, rabbit warren and breck-temporary fields allowed to revert back to heathabounding with heath land wildlife. Today the Brecks is mostly a landscape of forestry and farming. By far the most characteristic symbols of this countryside are the hedges and shelter belts of Scots pines planted as wind breaks at the time of Enclosure from 1768 onwards to stop the precious topsoil from blowing away. They line the roads and edges of the fields, their branches and trunks twisted by age and the elements. Whether you enjoy searching for a bargain at a traditional market or the tranquillity of this incredible Norfolk landscape you will be spoilt for choice by Swaffham in the Brecks.
For more information and event details visit www.aroundswaffham.co.uk
CYCLING AND WALKING FESTIVAL JUNE | FOOD AND DRINK FESTIVAL SEPTEMBER VISUAL ARTS FESTIVAL OCTOBER 66
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