The parish of Sidestrand lies on Norfolk's northeastern, North Sea, coastline roughly 3 miles southeast of the coastal resort of Cromer. There is very little to Sidestrand, today, a straggle of properties along the narrow coastal lane that parallels the North Sea from Cromer to Mundesley. Whilst Sidestrand has always been a tiny place, its population numbering around 150 folk it has not always stood where it does today. This stretch of Norfolk's coastline is formed by easily eroded glacial deposits and loosely aggregated Eocene sands & silts, it is eroding at an incredible speed with metres disappearing into the hungry sea each year. As will be seen below, its church has been moved to its present site as its former site is now beneath the waves, a similar fate has befallen many properties along this stretch of the coast. What remains of the parish is a tiny acreage, barely 436 acres as reported in early gazetteers, potentially less than 400 today. This coastal settlement lacks any kind of harbour so is largely arable fields similar to its hinterland.

St Michael's church stands adjacent to the Hall on the eastern side of the coast road. In East Anglia the sight of a round tower would normally lead to thoughts of an early church and the original building may well have been such. Today's church, however, was moved to its present site in 1880 to escape falling into the sea. The "old" church had its woes before the move, the original round tower having fallen in 1841, the ever-closer sea necessitating a move even then. The re-builders appear to have largely copied the style of the original church, windows of both Decorated & Perpendicular style, as well as the octagonal top to the tower all being features of the predecessor. New to 1881 was the vestry added following the rebuild. This stretch of road, Cromer Road, is narrow yet carries a surprising amount of traffic so parking is something of an issue and should be sensitive and careful. A typical flint & brick wall surrounds the small churchyard which is open and uncluttered with no obstacles for the photographer.