The village of Corfe stands in wooded landscape at the foot of the Blackdown Hills, some 3 miles S of Taunton in west Somerset. It straddles the important route between Taunton and Honiton, over the Blackdowns. The church is at the N end of the village. St Nicholas’ is an 1842 rebuilding of a Norman church by B. Ferrey. The S aisle was added and the tower rebuilt in 1858 by C. E. Giles, and the chancel was restored in 1969. Construction is of squared & coursed blue lias. It consists of a 4-bay nave and S aisle, chancel and W tower. The nave arcade is neo-Romanesque, as is the chancel arch; both said to be based on the original. Original 12thc features are two corbels reset in the N nave wall inside and the font.

Corfe was not mentioned under that name in the Domesday Survey. It was part of the hundred of Taunton and Taunton Deane, which belonged to the Bishops of Winchester.

English Heritage described the font as a 'very interesting Norman font with interlocking arcading and carved palmette.' Pevsner was less effusive, 'circular, Norman, with interlaced arcading.' The chancel arch label stops and the corbels reused in the S arcade spandrels are by the same skilful carver.