The parish of Flitcham lies in western Norfolk about 8 miles northeast of the port of King's Lynn and just north of the busy A148 road which links King's Lynn with the market town of Fakenham. Flitcham lies just over a half mile north on the B1153. The village has grown up at the edge of the coastal plain, just where the higher ground of Norfolk's chalk downlands begin to rise from the sandy soils of the carrstone beds. To the east of Flitcham, on the higher ground, runs the ancient Peddar's Way footpath. The parish is one of a number that have formed on this notable break of slope and all are elongated in shape east/west to make maximum use of both the lower and higher grounds. Whilst the sandy soils were much used for mixed farming the higher ground was devoted to open skies, warrens and sheep runs.

St Mary's church is accessed to the west of the main junction in the village, down a lane between farms. The church looks rather odd as it once was a cruciform church with a central tower; the line of the remaining building can be seen as a scar on the tower. St Mary's church is probably of Norman origin making it one of the older churches in Norfolk. The tower, of flint and carrstone, is certainly Norman and there are windows of that date in other parts. The rest is from the Perpendicular period typical of Norfolk churches. The church sits in a park-like setting behind a low stone wall.