Garsington – from the Old English Gærse-dun , meaning the Grassy Hill.
The village is mentioned twice in the Domesday Book:
Gilbert holds of the abbot 7½ hides in Garsington. [There is] land for 6 ploughs. Now in desmesne [are] 2 ploughs and 2 slaves; and 6 villans with 9 bordars have 3 ploughs. There are 12 acres of meadow, [and] woodland 2 furlongs long and 1 broad. It was worth £4; now 100s. There is 1 hide of inland which has never paid geld lying dispersed among the king’s land.