The parish of Rockland St Peter lies in the southern part of central Norfolk about 4 miles northwest of the market town of Attleborough. Rockland St Peter sits on the B1077 road which links Attleborough with Watton just west of the larger village of Great Ellingham. Rockland St Peter has as its southern neighbour the twin parish of Rockland All Saints and the two together form a reasonably large settlement. The area is largely arable, sitting on a broad rather flat plain set at about 50 metres above sea level. To the south of the Rocklands lie the headwaters of the River Thet but in the parish there are few streams worthy of the name.

St Peter's church lies just south of the B1077, on the edge of Rockland All Saints in fact, and is accessed by its own gravelled track from the B road. Despite the tower being round, albeit with an octagonal top, Pevsner dates it to the 14th century, most round tower churches have claims to be Norman or earlier. Much else is Perpendicular, to be expected in a Norfolk church, although the chancel was almost entirely rebuilt in the early 20th century. The delightful thatched roof to the nave is quite a feature. The church sits in a fairly uncluttered graveyard although there are some substantial mature trees around its edges giving it a quiet feel.