The name
Meshaw's name has changed over the centuries, only becoming recognisable to modern eyes in 1468. Mauessart probably meant "bad or infertile clearing", from Old French mal + assart, but, hey, nothing that a thousand or so years of hard farming can't fix.
Here is a list of names and the dates and works they were given in :
| Mauessart | 1085 | Domesday Book | ||
| Malessart | 1175 | Pipe Rolls | ||
| Madisheue | 1212 | The Book of fees | ||
| Mausard(e) | 1242 | The Book of fees | ||
| Meusard | 1298? | Assize Rolls | ||
| Mausawe | 1249 | Assize Rolls | ||
| Menaschaf' | 1253 | Calendar of Inquisitions | ||
| Meus(h)aue | 1291 | Taxatio Ecclesiastica | ||
| Meushagh | 1307 | Calendar of Close Rolls | ||
| Meushathe | 1342 | Exeter copy of the Domesday Book | ||
| Meuschate | 1370 | Exeter copy of the Domesday Book | ||
| Meweshawe | 1468 | Inquisitiones post mortem |
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