The Name of Heyshott.
 
The name of Heyshott has changed in its spelling, possibly due to different dialects spoken. Those who wrote it on documents, also wrote it as they heard it; so we have quite a few different spellings over many centuries, including the following :-
 
Hethsite, Hetheshete, Hethshete, Hetschite,
 
Hesite, Hayshete, Heashyte, Heashot,
 
Heyshett, and Heyshott.
 
In the year 1283 it was spelt Heyshott as it is to-day, but in 1314 it was Heshete and in 1428 it was Heyshete and since 1538 it has been Heyshott. All the names do exist on documents that are in existence.
 
Place names may have been given to indicate that of terrain, which is most likely closest to the truth. If we look at the Old English word 'Hoe ge' meaning either hay or grass or heath and even 'Fenced in land' [hedge around land]. Also the Old English word 'schete' which is not unlike the ending of the older spellings of Heyshott which can mean:- Region, Corner, Angle or Steep Slope.
 
From this the meaning could be 'Heath corner of land' or 'Heath' or 'grassy slope'.
 
Quoting 'The Origin of Place Names' by Reaney, that 'shot' is 'A piece of land'.
 
Quoting English Place Names of Sussex Society, that the Old English word 'Hoe o '-'sciete', may mean 'Heath covered corner of land', or 'corner of heath'.
 
Quoting the Oxford Place Names of Great Britian, just gives the meaning of Heyshott as, 'A place where heather grew'.