and 1857 History and topography of the City of York, the Owst family name leads directly to the original Saxon thanes who gave their name to the village. The name reappears in records in 1349, during the reign of Edward III, with a Robert Owst who had possessions in Hedon, and whose descendant branches "have lived in Holderness for centuries", and held lands in Nunkeeling, Welwick and Halsham. An Owst (died 1489), was Prior of Nunkeeling Priory. A Thomas Owst lived at Halsham in 1575, his descendants surviving there until 1836 when the last Thomas Owst left—he also held freehold property in Owstwick. The Owst family were Roman Catholic and lived under difficulties in the 18th century. In The History and Antiquities of the Seigniory of Holderness, Poulson quotes a 1745 certificate given to Thomas Owst, which describes him as a popish recusant, by Act of Parliament unable to travel farther than five miles from place of abode. The certificate signed by the Deputy Lieutenant was a licence allowing him to travel to Drax to visit his ill wife, under conditions including a stipulated return date. Governance Owstwick forms part of the civil parish of Roos and is represented locally by Roos Parish Council while at county level is in the South East Holderness ward of the East Riding of Yorkshire Council. At a parliamentary level it is part of the Beverley and Holderness constituency which is represented by Graham Stuart of the Conservative Party. References External links Villages in the East Riding of Yorkshire Holderness