origin. It is believed to have been carved in the 8th or 9th centuries and to have been dedicated to St Wilfrid, who was Bishop of Ripon between 667 and 669. The cross, which is tall and in diameter, used to be known as the Paulinus Cross and is decorated with early Christian carvings. Many of the carvings and representations have weathered over time, though Fisher argues that some were probably removed by those with Puritanical leanings during the Reformation. It is similar to the types of crosses found in churchyards in Wolverhampton and Dewsbury. The cross was grade II listed in 1966. The church is located on the south eastern corner of the market square in Masham town centre, though the entrance faces south with views of the countryside in that direction. Simon Jenkins in his book, England's Thousand Best Churches, awards the church and its churchyard one star out of five and describes the Anglo-Saxon cross as being In January 2017, the church was used as the setting for an episode of the BBC TV series Strike. One of the main characters hails from Masham and is seen getting married in the church. The Peculier of Masham Roger de Mowbray, the lord of the manor, was held captive during the Crusades and released after being ransomed by the Knights Templar. In gratitude, he donated the church to the Church of St Peter in York. However, because of its distance from York, the threat of the church's tax collectors being mugged on the long route between the two places and the extra burden of having to govern it, the Archbishop declared that the town of Masham, through its church, was granted the right to govern its own affairs. The term Peculier, which derives from a Norman word, in this aspect actually means Particular not odd as in the term Peculiar. As a result of this, the Peculier Court of Masham, consisted of 24 men (known historically as the Four and Twenty) which also gave rise to a name of one of the Theakstons' beers. The court is presided over by the incumbent of the church, and still has the right to rule on matters such as Between the 12th and 19th centuries, the court ruled on matters mostly pertaining to the church and adherence to Christian rituals not only in Masham, but also in the surrounding areas. People were