The parish of Frettenham lies in eastern Norfolk about 6 miles north of the city of Norwich. Frettenham is a small village sitting in lanes midway between the Norwich to North Walsham (B1150) and Norwich to Cromer (A140) roads and a couple of miles southwest of the large Broadland village of Coltishall. Frettenham sits in a largely arable farming area, a plain at around 20 metres above the sea, dominated by large cereal, beet & oil seed fields. The village has grown somewhat in recent times as new homes are built to serve commuters to the nearby city but Frettenham remains a rural community despite the growth in Norwich spreading ever outwards. Frettenham's rural peace is, however, regularly interrupted as it sits on the main flight-path into Norwich's nearby airport.

St Swithin's church sits in splendid isolation almost a half mile north of the main centre of population accessed along the narrow lane that is Church Lane. Unusually for a Norfolk church St Swithin is largely built in the earlier Decorated style popular in the early 14th century. Documentary evidence showing donations for the tower are, however, dated to the late 15th century and Pevsner speculates that they refer to repairs rather than the original build. Certainly the tower's parapet carries a mason's date of 1672 so that clearly had changes later than the original dates. As is usual the Victorians had their changes, too, the chancel being completely rebuilt in 1869 when the roofs were also replaced. The church sits on the eastern side of the junction where Church Road meets Church Lane, the site being well screened by dense trees from the road. A nice lychgate grants access and once through those trees the churchyard is open and with few impediments to photography.