Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• the Hechatten House (sic) 1614 SheffMan

• ten. voc' Heychatter 1622 Norf

Etymology

Haychatter, the Hechatten House (sic)1614 SheffMan, ten. voc ' Heychatter 1622Norf . Although this formally could be from PrWelsh  cadeir 'seat' (which appears in p.ns. as chatter ) with hēah 'high' prefixed, that word seems to denote 'hill or lofty place'. But Haychatter is in the bottom of the deep valley west of Bradfield (grid 102–254919) and cadeir is hardly appropriate. In view of its description as house or tenement , Haychatter is probably a surname, derived (like the surname Chaytor ) from ME , OFr  eschetour 'escheator' or preferably ME  achetour 'a provision buyer'; the later form Haychatter suggests the first el. was hēg 'hay', hence 'hay-buyer'.