[2] The parish has an area of 5 square kilometres (1.9 sq mi) and at the 2011 United Kingdom census had a population of 449.

Worlingham lies to the immediate west, with Mutford and Barnby to the east and the south Norfolk parishes of Burgh St Peter and Aldeby being north of the River Waveney.

[7] North Cove Hall, on the western edge of the village, dates from the 17th century and is a Grade II* listed building.

[8] In 1848 North Cove is recorded as having a population of 219 with the parish having annexed that of Willingham St Mary to the south.

[4] The parish church is dedicated to St Botolph and contains medieval wall paintings and a thatched roof.

[12][14] The wall paintings are thought to be 14th century in origin and have been judged to be "some of the finest surviving medieval wall-paintings in all East Anglia".

It covers an area of 189.6 hectares (469 acres) of grazing marsh, carr woodland and fen running from the village to the banks of the River Waveney to the north.