The parish of South Pickenham lies in the southwest of central Norfolk, it sits about 4 miles to the southeast of the market town of Swaffham. South Pickenham sits astride the narrow B1077 road which connects Swaffham with Watton and which performs a series of right-angle bends through South Pickenham. There is not much to South Pickenham, just a scatter of farms and cottages together with the grounds of Pickenham Hall which clearly dominated the parish and was home to the prominent Applewhaite family. South Pickenham sits on the western banks of the infant River Wissey which passes through and decorates the estate of the Hall. The Peddars Way National Trail passes just east of South Pickenham.

All Saints' church sits just to the west of a bend in the B1077 on the southern side of the lane that leads through to Hilborough. The presence of the round tower immediately suggests an ancient church and All Saints has Norman origins with the tower base dateable to the 12th century. The church clearly was much extended and replenished in the 14th century, the octagonal top to the tower dates from the 14th century as does most of the window styles in both nave & chancel. Much remained unchanged until a major restoration of 1907 which produced the present building. The church sits behind a low flint & brick wall but is rather hemmed in from the south by the trees of Pickenham Hall Estate making photographic angles a bit limited, especially on sunny days.