It has a population of 4,691 according to the 2011 Census, and is situated close to the county boundaries of both Norfolk and Cambridgeshire, and at the meeting point of The Fens and the Breckland natural environments.

[7] Lakenheath is remarkable for its medieval church, built about 900 years ago in wood, eventually being rebuilt in the local flint construction style.

In early 2009, the church received a large grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund and local organisations to restore its rare medieval wall paintings.

The wall paintings, depicting local saint St Edmund, angels, and birds amongst other subjects, are believed to date from the 13th century.

There are regular bus services to the neighbouring towns of Brandon, Mildenhall and Thetford plus buses to Bury St. Edmunds operated on school/college days which are available to the general public.

[11] During the Peasants' Revolt in 1381, Sir John Cavendish, the Chief Justice of the King's Bench and Chancellor of the University of Cambridge was pursued by rebels and caught and killed in Lakenheath.

It is therefore warmer and drier than the average climate of the British Isles due to its relative distance to the low-pressure dominated coastal weather systems of the Atlantic.