Hathouse Fm, Hathitch Fm
Early-attested site in the Parish of Lower Sapey
Historical Forms
- de la Hatte 1290 Deed
- atte Hatte 1327 SR
- Hattsitch 1602 WillsP
Etymology
The first element in these names must be OE hæt , 'hat,' the place being so called from some fancied resemblance of the ground, or possibly of a building on it, to a hat, cf. Hett (PN NbDu 113) of similar origin and the parallels there given, also Bedeleshattes (? beadle's hats), followed by bedelleslond , a field-name in Hanley Castle (VCH iv. 93). The modern hitch is apparently a corruption of sitch from OE sic, 'small stream.'