The parish of Lessingham lies in northeastern Norfolk, close to its North Sea coast, about 6 miles southeast of the market town of North Walsham. Lessingham sits on the winding and narrow coast road almost at the point where Norfolk's sandy (and eroding) cliffs peter out into the extensive dune system that runs from there to Great Yarmouth. Despite being less than a mile from the coast Lessingham would have been an arable agricultural community at the time of this transcript. Parishes in this area are packed rather tightly together and Lessingham would have covered fewer than 700 acres, a tiny one for a county with small parishes. Within the area is a curiosity of Broadland, a small stream rises between Lessingham & Cart Gap less than 200 metres from the sea yet flows inland to join the Broads system before flowing into the sea through Great Yarmouth many miles to the south.

All Saints church sits on a narrow east/west running lane a few hundred metres to the north of today's village centre. The church was originally 13th century and from that period the western tower remains. The rest of the church was in ruins but the former nave was rebuilt in 1893, the chancel remains as a partial ruin the remains being little more than head height. The building stands behind tall hedges but to the east has extensive views across to the nearby coast.