The Ordnance Survey and North Norfolk Council Information spell the village name 'Matlaske' while the parish name is 'Matlask', without the 'e'.

[3][4] The village is located in the north of the county and sits just outside the landscaped grounds of Barningham Hall.

Their oldest resident was Mrs Mary Hook who died in 2017, aged 103 and is buried at Barningham Church.

During the summer of 1940 Matlaske became home to a satellite airfield to RAF Coltishall which is located 12 miles (19 km) south east of the village.

[6] By September 1944 it was re-opened with No 150 Wing of the Second Tactical Air Force taking up residence using Mustang III's.

[6] After the squadron left the base was deserted and was quickly given up by the RAF and was one of the first airfields to be handed back to farming.

[7] The building is constructed from coursed flint work with some stone dressing on the roof where there are plain and fish scale tiles.

[9] The mansion was built in 1612[7] for Sir Edward Paston, constructed in red brick and stone and is a fine example of Jacobean architecture.

On the south west lane out of the village at a road junction is the old school house which was built in 1876 but was closed in 1964.

The school served as a village hall until the late 1970s when the property was renovated and turned into private dwellings.