Shopland Hall

Article by Richard Kirton - September 2012

Originally a dairy farm, it has taken many years of hard work to convert the various shaped and aged buildings into usable stable blocks, schools and offices. The original farm dairy was converted into the Dairy Cafe and Lecture Hall. The cows' cubicle building converted to the Indoor School.

With records of Shopland Hall going back to the year 1146, it has a chequered history, with several local dignitaries being buried in the graveyard of the now demolished church on the drive to Shopland Hall

Shopland Hall was owned and run as a dairy farm of some renown, by the Alec Steele family and left in trust by Norman Garon in his will for the benefit of the youth of Southend.

In 1991, Jenny Murrell and Amanda Murrell (Mother & Daughter) moved an already thriving Riding School into Shopland Hall with the view to branch out into all aspects of the Equine world and giving the 'youth of Southend' a place to experience and enjoy riding.