Shepperton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Shepperton |
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| Village | |
 Church Square, Shepperton |
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 Shepperton
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| Area | 6.98 km2 (2.69 sq mi) |
| Population | 9,753 (2011 census) |
| • Density | 1,397/km2 (3,620/sq mi) |
| OS grid reference | TQ080672 |
| District |
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| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Shepperton |
| Postcode district | TW17 |
| Dialling code | 01932 |
| Police | Surrey |
| Fire | Surrey |
| Ambulance | South East Coast |
| EU Parliament | South East England |
| UK Parliament |
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Shepperton is a village in Surrey, England. It's about 15 miles (24 km) southwest of central London. This village sits on the north bank of the River Thames, between the towns of Chertsey and Sunbury-on-Thames. Shepperton is quite old, first mentioned in a document from 959 AD and also in the Domesday Book.
In the 1800s, many famous writers and poets lived here. They included Rider Haggard, Thomas Love Peacock, George Meredith, and Percy Bysshe Shelley. They loved being close to the River Thames. Artists like Canaletto and Turner even painted the river nearby. To help boats travel, Shepperton Lock and Sunbury Lock were built around 1810.
Shepperton started to grow more in the late 1800s. This happened when the Shepperton Branch Line railway was built in 1864. The village's population grew from about 1,800 people in the early 1900s to almost 10,000 by 2011. Today, its main street has many small shops and businesses.
Did you know that Shepperton Film Studios are very close by? They are in the next village, Littleton. Also nearby are the Swan Sanctuary and special nature areas called SSSIs.
Contents
- Shepperton: A Village by the Thames
Shepperton: A Village by the Thames
What's in a Name?
The first time Shepperton was written down was in a paper from 959. It was called Scepertune back then. The name probably comes from old English words. Scēp means sheep, hirde means herdsman, and tūn means a farm or settlement. So, Shepperton most likely means "shepherd's farm" or "shepherd's settlement."
A Look Back in Time
Shepperton was known as Scepertone in the Domesday Book of 1086. This was a big survey ordered by the Norman conquerors. At that time, about 25 families lived there. The land was owned by Westminster Abbey.
The area around Church Lane and Church Square, near the river, was the main part of the village for many centuries. When the railway station was built in 1864, about 1 mile (1.6 km) north, the village slowly grew into the fields around it.
The River Thames was very important for moving goods from the late 1200s. Farmers sent barley, wheat, and vegetables to London markets. Later, timber, building materials like bricks, and even gunpowder were transported by river.
For a long time, Shepperton was mostly a farming village. In the churchyard, you can find old gravestones of important local families. Two of these are for their servants, Benjamin and Cotto Blake, who died in 1781.
Old Buildings and History
Church Square is a beautiful old part of Shepperton. It has a winding lane that leads from the High Street to the square. This area has many old buildings and a view of the river. It's often called "one of the most perfect village pictures" in the area. You can find pubs and hotels here.
Shepperton Manor, a large house by the river, dates back to the late 1700s. The Old Rectory, another old building, was built around 1500. The local church, St Nicholas', is also very old and beautiful.
Lower Halliford: A Riverside Spot
Lower Halliford is a neighborhood within Shepperton. It used to be a separate small village. This area has many beautiful old houses from the 1700s by the river. You can see riverside meadows and small boat moorings here.
For about 100 years, from the 1760s, a rope-making business was here. Later, from the 1860s, clay was dug out for making bricks.
Halliford Manor, also called The Old Manor, has a history going back to the 1200s. Even queens like Elizabeth I owned it! Many wealthy writers, like Rider Haggard and Percy Bysshe Shelley, built or expanded homes here in the 1800s. They used them as summer houses.
Halliford School is in this area. It was once the home of Emma Hamilton, who was famous for being the friend of Admiral Nelson.
Modern Homes in Manygate Lane
The Manygate Lane area is special for its modern houses built in the 1960s. These homes have a unique, geometric style with white panels. They were designed by a Swiss architect and have shared gardens. It was a new way to build homes back then.
Exploring Shepperton's Neighborhoods
Shepperton has a few distinct areas. These include the old parts of Old Shepperton and Lower Halliford. The nearby village of Littleton is also considered a locality.
Charlton: A Northern Hamlet
Charlton is a small area to the north of Shepperton. It's bordered by the Queen Mary Reservoir and the M3 motorway. Even though it's small, it's sometimes called a village or neighborhood. Charlton was also mentioned in the Domesday Book. It was a farming area with pastures for animals.
Shepperton Green: Nature and Homes
Shepperton Green is west of the M3 motorway and northwest of the village center. A small stream called the River Ash runs nearby. This area is surrounded by farms and large lakes. It's a peaceful place with nature all around. One of Shepperton's special nature areas, Sheep Lake Walk and meadows, is here.
Shops and the Train Station
Shepperton has a traditional main street with shops. You'll find two supermarkets, a village hall, a library, and many restaurants and cafes. The Shepperton railway station is at the northern end of the street. Many people use the train station to travel to London and other towns.
Important Services for Everyone
Shepperton has four primary schools and two senior schools. Surrey Police keeps the village safe. Surrey County Council helps with public transport and provides fire and rescue services.
For healthcare, St Peter's Hospital is nearby. There are also smaller clinics and doctors' offices in the village. Waste collection is handled by the local council.
Nature and the River Thames
Shepperton has a long border with the River Thames. The land here is mostly flat. The lowest point is 9 meters (30 feet) above sea level in the flood meadows where the River Ash meets the Thames.
Dumsey Meadow is a very special nature area by the river. It's the only undeveloped water meadow left on the River Thames below Caversham. It's home to many rare plants and insects. The Swan Sanctuary, which helps swans, moved to Shepperton in 2005.
On the other side of the river, you can see Chertsey Bridge and Chertsey Meads. There are also several islands, some with houses on them. The Thames Path is a walking route that goes through Shepperton.
Fun and Games in Shepperton
Shepperton has many places for sports and fun. There are football fields on both sides of the M3 motorway, and some have tennis courts. You can enjoy flat cycling routes to Windsor, Hampton Court Palace, and Richmond.
There's a golf course called Sunbury Golf Club. Desborough Sailing Club is also here, with its own area on the River Thames for sailing small boats. Angling (fishing) is popular at Halliford Mere and on the River Thames. Shepperton also has a successful cricket club with several teams.
Places to Worship
Shepperton has several churches for different Christian groups.
The stone church of St Nicholas in the old village square belongs to the Church of England. It helps the local primary school and supports many good causes in the area.
St John Fisher Roman Catholic church was started in 1936. It focuses on prayer, working together, and annual trips and shows.
Jubilee Church, Shepperton, was formed in 1982. It's a modern Christian church that focuses on loving God and helping others.
Shepperton on Screen and in Books
Shepperton Studios: Where Movies Are Made
Shepperton Studios are famous film production studios. They are used for making movies, TV shows, and animated films. Many big movies have been filmed here, either partly or entirely.
The studios are actually in the nearby village of Littleton. They started in the 1930s when a manor house and its land were turned into film sets. Some of the movies made or partly made here include:
- Billy Elliot, Gladiator (2000)
- Bridget Jones's Diary (2001)
- Bend It Like Beckham (2002)
- Love Actually (2003)
- Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Troy (2004)
- Batman Begins, Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005)
- The Da Vinci Code (2006)
- Atonement (2007)
- Moon (2009)
- Clash of the Titans (2010)
- Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
- Anna Karenina (2012)
- Fast & Furious 6, Gravity (2013)
Halliford Studios: TV Commercials and More
Lower Halliford is also home to Halliford Film Studios. These studios were built in 1955 and were some of the first to focus on making TV commercials. Today, they are used for commercials, small TV shows, and other short videos.
Shepperton in Stories
The author George Eliot wrote about a place called Shepperton in her book Scenes of Clerical Life.
Shepperton was also the home of the writer J. G. Ballard. He was sometimes called the "Seer of Shepperton." His novels Crash and The Unlimited Dream Company are set in Shepperton.
The village is even mentioned in H. G. Wells' famous book The War of the Worlds. In the story, Shepperton is destroyed by aliens!
Art Inspired by Shepperton
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Artists have been inspired by Shepperton's beauty. J. M. W. Turner painted scenes of the river and fishermen in 1805. These paintings showed the beautiful landscape near Lower Halliford. Before him, Canaletto also painted a view of Walton Bridge in 1754.
Famous People from Shepperton
Many interesting people have lived in Shepperton, including:
- Ian Allan, who published books about railways.
- J. G. Ballard, a famous English writer.
- Lynne Reid Banks, author of the popular children's book The Indian in the Cupboard.
- John Boorman, a film director.
- Bernard Braden and Barbara Kelly, TV presenters.
- Ray Dorset, the lead singer of the band Mungo Jerry.
- Frank Finlay, an actor.
- Tom Jones, the famous singer.
- Janet Munro, actress, and Ian Hendry, actor, lived on Pharaoh's Island in Shepperton.
- Ruth Wilson, an actress.
