The parish of Bale lies in northern Norfolk roughly 5 miles west of the small market town of Holt. Bale is a small crossroads village which sits about a half mile north of the A148 road which links Holt with Fakenham, besides properties gathered around its crossroads Bale has a few stretching northwards along the Field Dalling lane toward the Hall. Like most Norfolk parishes Bale was an arable farming village, these soils are light & stony but easily workable, prior to modern machinery and fertilisers to improve the nutrients, consequently early gazetteers place over 80% of the parish acreage as set top crops. At the time of this transcript the typical 4-year crop cycle would have still been fundamental but the main productive crop was, of course, the cereal year. Even by Norfolk standards Bale was quite a small parish, covering only a fraction over 1,000 acres it was part of a mosaic of tiny parishes that tessellate this area of the county.

All Saints' church sits at the main crossroads of the village, set back a little behind fronting properties until the main entrance from the southern limb of the junction. Like many Norfolk churches it has its origins in the 14th century albeit some architecture is of the very latest period of the Early English Gothic the bulk is of the characteristic styles of the Decorated & Perpendicular. Pevsner gives the chancel an estimated date of c1300, on the cusp of metamorphosing from Early English Gothic into Decorated. The nave and northern transept are more clearly dated, of the 15th century and Perpendicular. The major restoration came in 1862 and whilst much was spent renewing the internal fittings of stalls, pews & pulpit it also refreshed the church and re-clad the roofing, much of the exterior we see today is thanks to their work. A broad verge fronts the churchyard with a gravel path running to the metal gates. once within the churchyard is open and uncluttered with no obstacles for the photographer.