Lords of the Manor of Owston
In the early 14th Century, the manor was in ownership of the crown and Edward III presented the rector; his Queen, Phillipa, presented the next four rectors. Owston then passed to Edward's son, John of Gaunt, the Duke of Lancaster.
It was under the Duchy of Lancaster that the family of Adam rented it during the 15th Century; by 1638 they had purchased the estate. Apparently, the last two of the Adams family to own Owston were 'wildly extravagant' men' and eventually they sold all their lands in this part of the country. In 1698, John Adam sold the estate to Henry Cooke, third son of Sir Henry Cooke of Wheatley Hall.
The Cooke family resided at the Hall until the late 19th Century when they moved their main residence to Gwysaney, their other estate in Wales.
The memorial to Bryan Cooke (1756-1821) is in the chancel of Owston Church. He was Colonel of the Third West York Militia and a Magistrate for the West Riding of the County of York.
