Kesova Gora was known since approximately 1238, and it apparently was formed from a combination various smaller settlements: Krasny, Zaychy, and Grachi. Originally, the settlement was called Kyasova Gora, meaning "clay-filled region" in Finnish. For a long time, it was a votchina of the Prozorovsky noble family. One of the most important landmarks of the settlement is the still-functioning Saint Nicholas Church.