 The name comes from the Old English "hæth-dūn", meaning 'hill where heather grew'.The name should not be confused with that of East Heddon and West Heddon, where the name means 'Hidda's pasture'.A Roman milecastle ('Milecastle 12') was located at the site of the present-day village, under what is now Town Farm, but no traces of it are currently visible.