The parish of Great Melton lies about 6 miles west of the city of Norwich and a mile south of the B1108 road which connects the city with Hingham & Watton. Great Melton is largely a dispersed village with only a grouping of properties around High Green as its notional centre. The parish is dominated by the estate of Melton Hall, the 17th century Hall has now been demolished, and unlike its neighbour Little Melton has not seen the rash of commuter development in recent times. Great Melton parish was quite extensive for an eastern Norfolk parish, covering almost 2,500 acres with arable farming the dominant economy as it remains today.

The parish church sits almost a half mile northeast of High Green on a lane heading for Little Melton. Two churches originally sat within the same churchyard, St Mary the Virgin & All Saints. Whilst the original All Saints is now an ivy-clad ruined tower, the dedication was transferred to the former St Mary. The church is largely the result of a rebuild in 1883 albeit Pevsner notes some flintwork at the base of nave & chancel which he tentatively gives an 11th century date. The western tower has documentary evidence of its construction around 1430 consistent with the use of the familiar Perpendicular style throughout. The churchyard is protected by neat hedging onto the lane and is relatively free of photographic obstructions.