The parish of St George Colegate (there being two St Georges within the city) lies towards the north of the medieval centre of the city of Norwich, within that area known as Norwich over the Water and north of the River Wensum. The city was divided into numerous small parishes, as many as 52 it is believed at one time - a church for every Sunday was the saying, each covering a tiny area of the heart of the densely packed city centre. St George Colegate was typical of these parishes being cheek-by-jowl with St Clement and the two Coslany churches of St Mary & St Michael. The area of the city north of the Wensum was amongst the poorer area of the city but these records show a higher incidence of artisanal activity than in those other parishes packed with weavers. Today the area retains some residential areas, many renewed in recent times, and is away from the main commercial areas of the city.

St George's church, as the suffix suggests, sits on the northern side of Colegate just west of the main road leading north from the Saxon centre of Tombland. The church has much documentary evidence dating the fabric into the late Perpendicular period, sources place the nave & tower as renewed in 1459, chancel in 1498, aisles & chapels to 1505 and the clerestory finally glazed in 1514 all placing the church towards the end of the great church-building era that is the Perpendicular. The church fell on hard times in the mid-20th century and was fortuitously restored in 1949 following limited war damage. Today the church is one of the few still in use as a place of worship, serving the northern half of the city centre. The church has only a tiny churchyard, burials ceased when this was closed in the mid-19th century. and sits flush to the pavements of the surrounding streets. Properties hem the church on all sides making for a challenge to adequately capture it photographically.