The parish of Middleton lies in western Norfolk about 3 miles southeast of the port of King's Lynn. Middleton sits on the A47 road which crosses Norfolk from King' Lynn via the city of Norwich to Great Yarmouth. Middleton has only a small presence on the main road where sits church and inn, the majority of the village sits to both north and south along lanes leading away. In addition to Middleton village the parish also contains Fair Green & Blackborough End, the whole stretching for well over a mile from north to south. Middleton sits where the slightly higher ground formed by the narrow band of carr-stone and marks the boundary of Norfolk's Fenland with the rising ground onto the chalk. It also sits just to the north of the flood-plain of the River Nar. This position gave Middleton a distinctly varied economy, the farming, a mixture of arable, cattle on the flood-plain and sheep & rabbits on the chalk, and the local carr-stone was quarried for local building stone. A branch railway line, remembered in the name of Station Road, once ran from King's Lynn to East Dereham but has been almost removed from the landscape. Middleton, today, has become something of a commuter settlement for nearby King's Lynn with modern developments adding to the village substantially.

St Mary's church sits prominently at the junction of Station Road with the busy A47, traffic still passes through the edge of the village. St Mary has its origins in the 13th century, albeit the Early English Gothic style has been almost obliterated by later changes. Pevsner notes the lowest courses of the chancel as of this style and 13th century. Nave, arcades and western tower are all of 15th century origins and typically Perpendicular in style. The whole has, however, been extensively restored and rebuilt with a notable campaign of 1862 responsible for the majority of the changes. From its lower courses only the remainder of the chancel was rebuilt and re-roofed whilst many windows were replaced throughout the remainder of the church. The churchyard fronts on to the A47 where, obviously, parking is impossible, it is advised to seek parking in Station Road well away from the busy junction. The churchyard wall shows much use of the local carr-stone as well as the more typical flint & brick construction. The churchyard is narrow on its east to west axis, which makes angled aspects difficult, indeed the better views of both landscape & portrait views are from outside the cramped and busy churchyard.