The parish of Bagthorpe lies in northwestern Norfolk about 9 miles west and slightly further north from the market town of Fakenham. Bagthorpe sits around a mile east of the B1155 road which connects Great Bircham with Burnham Market. In a county of relatively small parishes Bagthorpe is one of the smallest, barely 750 acres in extent and almost totally used for arable farming. Bagthorpe was a closed parish, all land held by the residents of its hall, inbound migration was, therefore, discouraged and no formal village developed. The hall sits east of the lane which runs south to East Rudham and the sole accompaniments are a few cottages along said lane together with a scatter of other farms across an open landscape dotted with a few copses of woodland to break up the arable fields.

St Mary's church sits alongside most of those cottages on the lane and on its eastern side. The church has a checquered history, its small congregation was insufficient to warrant its continuing as a place of worship and when Pevsner visited it was derelict and partially ruined. Declared redundant in 1979 it was passed to the Norfolk Churches Trust who restored something of its former state. It is not from the medieval period although it displays the Early English style lancet windows and the later Decorated style too, all was rebuilt in 1854 by a local Syderstone building firm. The style chosen reflects that of the medieval predecessor which was in such a style. The lane passing the church is quite narrow but with a broad, but often muddy from tractor activity, verge on the western side allowing careful parking. The typical flint walling is breached by a set of wooden gates at the northern end allowing entry into the churchyard which has no obstacles for the photographer.