Chestham Park
Early-attested site in the Parish of Henfield
Historical Forms
- Chustham 1305 Ass
- Chestham 1313 FF 1407 Ass 1578 BM
- Chesham 1657 SAC23,241
- Chisham 1701 Wills
Etymology
This name would seem to contain the same first element as Chessel (Wt), Chesthull in 1228 (Pat), Chusthull in 1346 (FA) and Chestal (Gl), Chystelay 1374 Ipm. It is perhaps the word ciest , 'chest, coffin,' from the discovery of some forgotten grave.(There is a heathen OE cemetery on Chessel Down.) Other alternatives that suggest themselves are (1) to take the first element to be a short form of OE cist (en )-beam , 'chestnut-tree,' cf. Chest Wood (Ess), Chistewode 1276, 1291 FF, Chestwood 1291 FA and Chisbon Heath (Ess), 1539Chesbenheth , 1551Chestbeamhethe , or (2) ME cheste , 'strife,' from some forgotten quarrel.