A story relates how King Edwin of Northumbria placed the cross there to mark the grave of Lilla, one of his thegns who saved his life during an assassination attempt.

The ancient cross marks the intersection of pathways across the moor, the edges of four parishes and is also a waymarker on the Lyke Wake Walk.

[7][8] One of the stories for the cross is that of Lilla, a thegn of King Edwin of Northumbria, who is said to have prevented his master from being assassinated, and in doing so, was killed instead.

[11] Certain items of gold and silver dug up from beneath the Howe by the cross, were destroyed by enemy action in Liverpool in May 1942.

[16] In 1952, Fylingdales Moor became a military training area, so the cross was moved to Simon Howe to keep it from harm.