Hextons Fm
Early-attested site in the Parish of Upper Arley
Historical Forms
- Hekstane 1227 LyttCh
- Heyston 1293 Salt.Soc.vii.1,172
- Hexstan 1306 Salt.Soc.vi.1,217
- Hexston 1312 Salt.Soc.ix.43
- Hex(s)ton 1313,1486 FF
- Hekston 1520 FF
Etymology
This is a difficult name. We probably have an OE significant name hēah -stān , 'high stone,' referring to some unknown rock or monument. For similar p.n. compounds without in- flexion of the adj., cf. forms from OE charters collected by Ritter (139). The only other suggestion, for which we are indebted to Mr Bruce Dickins, is that the name was originally composed of two elements, a pers. name Hēahstān , which is well recorded, and a second element such as tun or stan , which had disappeared by the 13th cent. A parallel for such loss is to be found in Leystone (Herts), earlier Lefstane cherche , though there the loss is much later.