St Stephen-in-Brannel is situated in the Deanery and Hundred of Powder. It is bounded on the North by St Dennis and Roche, on the East by St Austell and St Mewan, on the South by Creed and Probus, and on the West by Ladock and St Enoder. It is mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1085 as Bernel. It lies in the centre of Cornwall, North-East of Grampound. The chief villages of the parish are the Churchtown, Whitemoor, Currian and Nanpean.