The name derives from the legend of a farm worker from further up-river who fell asleep on a haycock. The river went into flood, and carried the haycock to Wansford, where it came to shore and the lad woke up. He asked "Where am I?". "Wansford" he was told. "Wansford where?" "Wansford in England". The pub there (now a smart hotel) is called the Haycock from the same legend.