▁ 2 0 0 1 ▁census ▁had ▁a ▁population ▁of ▁ 6 , 9 3 5 ▁in ▁ 3 , 1 3 0 ▁households , ▁which ▁increased ▁to ▁ 7 , 2 5 8 , ▁in ▁ 3 , 2 5 8 ▁households , ▁at ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 1 ▁census . ▁For ▁the ▁purposes ▁of ▁local ▁government , ▁the ▁parish ▁falls ▁within ▁the ▁district ▁of ▁Bre ck land . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁The ▁name ▁of ▁the ▁town ▁der ives ▁from ▁the ▁Old ▁English ▁Sw <0xC7> <0xA3> fa ▁h ā m ▁= ▁" the ▁hom est ead ▁of ▁the ▁Sw ab ians "; ▁some ▁of ▁them ▁pres umably ▁came ▁with ▁the ▁Ang les ▁and ▁Sax ons . ▁ ▁By ▁the ▁ 1 4 th ▁and ▁ 1 5 th ▁centuries ▁S wa ff ham ▁had ▁an ▁emer ging ▁sheep ▁and ▁w ool ▁industry . ▁As ▁a ▁result ▁of ▁this ▁prosper ity , ▁the ▁town ▁has ▁a ▁large ▁market ▁place . ▁The ▁market ▁cross ▁here ▁was ▁built ▁by ▁George ▁Wal pole , ▁ 3 rd ▁Earl ▁of ▁Or ford ▁and ▁presented ▁to ▁the ▁town ▁in ▁ 1 7 8 3 . ▁On ▁the ▁top ▁is ▁the ▁statue ▁of ▁Cer es , ▁the ▁Roman ▁god dess ▁of ▁the ▁har vest . ▁ ▁About ▁ 8   km ▁to ▁the ▁north ▁of ▁S wa ff ham ▁can ▁be ▁found ▁the ▁ru ins ▁of ▁the ▁formerly ▁important ▁Castle ▁A cre ▁Pri ory ▁and ▁Castle ▁A cre ▁Castle . ▁ ▁On ▁the ▁west ▁side ▁of ▁S wa