The present parish church is formed from the medieval nave of a church which had been collegiate. The ruined 14th-century chancel is of interest (Pevsner and Neave 1995, 606). Outside of it, immediately to the east of the chancel window, stands a cross which may be 12th century.

In Domesday Book there were two small estates which belonged to the king, another to the archbishop. The church is first mentioned in Domesday Book, when it lay in the larger of the crown estates. From 1333 it had collegiate status (VCH, II, 272, 3, 5).

Morris (1919, 251) wrote that ‘adjacent to the end of the ruined chancel is a remarkable cross of a type not common in the neighbourhood. It is said to be the old market cross of Kilham.’

Pevsner and Neave (1995, 606) briefly commented on ‘an early standing cross, possibly C12.’

The base of the cross is said to be at Ruston Parva (see that report). It is not possible to check the cross-section at the very bottom of the shaft, but it appears too wide to fit the base at Ruston Parva, and that base seems too shallow to support such a shaft anyway. Perhaps the cross could be somehow associated with the college at Lowthorpe. Similar 'rose' motifs can be found on the capitals in the chancel, though 'the chancel arch with simple fleurons and leaves may be C16' (Pevsner and Neave 1995, 606).

The fieldworker is doubtful that this cross could be 12th-century.