The parish of North Elmham lies in central Norfolk about 4 miles north of the market town of East Dereham. North Elmham, today, is a crossroads settlement with its main population grouped around the junction of two significant "B" roads. The B1110 runs north to south between East Dereham & Holt and the B1145 runs east to west on its long journey from Bawdeswell to King's Lynn. In the past North Elmham's centre would have been to the north of the present junction, around the site of its Saxon Cathedral. North Elmham was the home of the bishops of East Anglia prior to their 11th century move to Thetford & North Elmham was, thus, a major religious centre before lapsing into rural sleepiness. The parish occupies an elevated site on the western side of the valley of the River Wensum, overlooking the junction with a tributary (the Blackwater). The present village is probably a little smaller than that of the time of this transcript, other villages have grown at its expense despite the arrival of the railway, now a shadow of its former importance.

St Mary's church was founded in the early 12th century as a replacement for the episcopal cathedral which was timber and dismantled in the late 11th century. Much is built in the Perpendicular style, which dominated a century or so later than the foundation and probably indicates a major rebuild at that time (1380s). Traces of Early English and Decorated styles are noted by Pevsner in what remains from before that time. Pevsner complains about over-restoration and there were major works in both 1860s and 1880s which remove important dating features and gave the church a whole refacing with flint. The nave is probably the oldest significant portion and Pevsner dates it to the 13th century, the chancel is 16th century and the imposing western tower somewhere between. The church sits on the eastern side of the Holt Road (B1110) and presents it proud western tower to the road screened by a low flint & brick wall.