The origins of the Shendish name go back to Norman times, when William the Conqueror’s brother is believed to have sub-let the farmhouse which was on the site to one Ralf de Chenduit, whose surname gradually became corrupted over time to the current Shendish.

It remained a farmhouse, with some 300 acres, for centuries, until in 1853 it was acquired by Charles Longman, who had inherited a fortune from the publishing company of the same name and who was at that time a partner in a paper-making business with John Dickinson. He had the farmhouse demolished and the present Shendish Manor erected on the site. The land owned by the family increased to some 500 acres over the next few years.

It remained in the Longman family until the 1930’s, having been used during the first world war as an army camp through which some 20,000 soldiers passed. It eventually passed to one Henry Longman, who set about selling off much of the land, which had grown at one point to an estate of over 1,300 acres, until in 1936 the house and remaining 90 acres were acquired by the John Dickinson Company.

It became the headquarters for the Dickinson Guild of Sport and was used as a sports and social club for the company’s employees until 1994, when it was acquired by the present owners and transformed into one of Hertfordshire’s leading conference and banqueting venues, now in 150 acres, including a top-class hotel and golf course.