The parish of Matlaske lies in northeastern Norfolk one of a host of tiny parishes in this area and roughly 7 miles north of the market town of Aylsham. Matlaske sits within an area devoid of major roads, the closest numbered roads being the A140 just under 4 miles to its east and the B1149 a similar distance west. Matlaske parish was one of the smallest rural parishes in its county, a county with many such tiny parishes, Matlaske covered a mere 472 acres of which 70% was set to arable farming. Matlaske does, at least, warrant a small village unlike many in this area, a cross-roads settlement lying just south of the Barningham Hall estate that squeezes the parish from the north. At least the scenery is a little rolling hereabouts as the Scarrow Beck and its tributaries give some rumples to the otherwise smooth Norfoll terrain.

St Peter's church sits towards the eastern end of the small village on the southern side of The Street. The presence of a round tower is usually indicative of an early church and whilst St Peter's is topped by an early 14th century octagonal top in the Decorated style its basal sections are dateable to the late 11th or early 12th centuries, some curious tiles are even speculated to be reused Roman tiles albeit Pevsner qualifies that diagnosis. St Peter is curiously foreshortened as the chancel was demolished in 1726 but the remaining nave and southern aisle are characteristically Perpendicular although the arcade is of the earlier Decorated style and contemporary with the tower's topping. Like most churches St Peter received a Victorian restoration, in this case a through refresh in 1878 to arrive at today's church. The Street is sufficiently broad to allow careful parking outside the churchyard which is walled in typical flint to the west of the gates and brick to their east. That western tower is a little hemmed in by close boundary trees otherwise there are few obstacles for the photographer.