The parish of Kenninghall lies in southern Norfolk roughly midway between the market towns of Attleborough and Diss. The village is a substantial one with all the traditional shops and public houses remaining along a main road and substantial settlement along the lanes radiating off that main road. The surrounding area is largely agricultural although the soils are poor and sandy as the village sits quite near to the Breckland heaths.

St Mary's church lies to the east of the main village road on the left side of the lane which leads to Fersfield. As befits a large village the church is big in proportion. Some features of the church are indicative of a rather early origin with the Norman southern doorway in particular a relic of that time. The rest is typical 13th or 14th century although the squat and formidable tower is later still. A restoration in 1874 has unfortunately masked many of the original features but the whole is still rather impressive.