It is located on the edge of the Flemish Ardennes, the hilly southern part of the province of East Flanders, Belgium, and used to be an independent municipality till the end of 1976.

In the latter half of the 13th century, the nave was enlarged by 6 meters and at the west side of the church a new front arose.

A Gothic style choir was added around 1300, using large blocks of Balegem sandstone, a brick octagonal crossing tower around 1450, and a northern transept just before the religious troubles of the 16th century.

The Government of Belgium assigned the oldest part of the Baaigem church as an important cultural asset on 15 December 1942.

It later moved into the hands of Capittel of the Cambrai Cathedral and the Abbey of Anchin (both located in nowadays northern France).