Westow

Westow is a village and civil parish in North Yorkshire, England. Westow is situated in the lee of Spy Hill, bordering the Howardian Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, 3 miles (4.8 km) from the A64 road linking Leeds to the East Coast, 5 miles (8 km) west of the town of Malton, and 15 miles (24 km) east of the city of York.

The village was within the historic boundaries of the East Riding of Yorkshire until 1974. From 1974 to 2023, it was part of the Ryedale district. It is now administered by North Yorkshire Council.

The civil parish also includes the hamlets of Firby and Kirkham. The population of the civil parish was 339 in the 2011 Census. Neighbouring villages are Crambe, Whitwell-on-the-Hill, Welburn, Howsham, Leavening and Burythorpe.

There are parish records in Westow dating back to the 16th century, and archeological evidence of human settlement in the area has been found dating back to the celts.

The name Westow likely derives from West Howe, meaning hill.