John Heydon of Baconsthorpe, Norfolk, was of humble origins, the son of a yeoman, William Baxter of Heydon. He became a successful lawyer, and is known, through the Paston Letters, as one of the principal agents in East Anglia of William de la Pole, 1st Duke of Suffolk, and one of the chief opponents of the Paston family.

Baconsthorpe is a village and civil parish in the North Norfolk district of the English county of Norfolk. It is 4 miles (6.4 km) south-east of Holt, 5 miles (8.0 km) south of Sheringham and 20 miles (32 km) north of Norwich.