English Place-name Society

Survey of English Place-Names

A county-by-county guide to the linguistic origins of England’s place-names – a project of the English Place-Name Society, founded 1923.

Hesket Newmarket

Early-attested site in the Parish of Caldbeck

Historical Forms

  • Eskhevid c.1230 HolmC
  • Eskeheued c.1250 HolmC 1305 Ipm 1399 IpmR
  • Eskheved 1308 Ipm
  • Eskheuid 1340 GDR
  • Hesket 1523 FF 1610 Denton
  • Heskethe 1560 Cocker
  • Hesket in the parish of Coldbeck 1742 PR
  • Hesket New Market 1751 CW(OS)xiii
  • Hesket…a market town 1777 NB
  • Eskett 1543 CWxiv
  • Eskate 1565 Brayton

Etymology

It is clear that this name is a hybrid compound of esk from ON  eski , 'place overgrown with ash trees,' and OE  hēafod, 'head, hill.' This was reduced to Esket and then, in the 16th century, assimilated in spelling to Hesket in the Forest supra 199. It is not known when the right to hold a market here was granted.