Swanton Abbott is a village and civil parish in the district of North Norfolk. It has an area of 4.76 square kilometres and a population of 565 at the 2011 Census. The village lies 4 miles south of North Walsham, 15 miles south of the seaside town of Cromer and 13.5 miles north by road from the centre of the city of Norwich, Norfolk's administrative centre. The villages name means 'Herdsmen's farm/settlement'. The village was granted to the Abbot of St. Benet Holme by King Cnut.