Ewell Village Stables

[Dante44]

The small yard on the long drive at the end of Ebbisham lane is/was Downsview Farm, a friend owned it from late 70s to late 90s, hardly any turnout then but had long waiting list for liveries.
I did the 1st bit of BHS training at Huntersfield when Jo Taylor and Pauline Voss were there (i was there 79/80)

The yard on Ebbisham Lane was Wingfield Farm. During that period it was owned by a bookie called Frank Pearson. Just down from that there is a small yard down a long drive that overlooks Six Mile Hill and has no mains electricity. I think that was used for training.

I spent time with a NH permit holder in the yard behind the forge in Headley. He was called Walter King and the Epsom Trainers Group wouldn't let him use the training gallops on the downs or the schooling fences at Langley Vale Farm as he was 'only' a permit holder. He trained his horses up Box Hill instead and had a few winners.

Malcolm Jolly from the 80s to now has the front yard behind the forge. I don't know who has the rear yard where Wally was.

There were places called Ebbisham Farm, Wildwoods and

The yard on Ebbisham Lane was Wingfield Farm. During that period it was owned by a bookie called Frank Pearson. Just down from that there is a small yard down a long drive that overlooks Six Mile Hill and has no mains electricity. I think that was used for training.

I spent time with a NH permit holder in the yard behind the forge in Headley. He was called Walter King and the Epsom Trainers Group wouldn't let him use the training gallops on the downs or the schooling fences at Langley Vale Farm as he was 'only' a permit holder. He trained his horses up Box Hill instead and had a few winners.

Malcolm Jolly from the 80s to now has the front yard behind the forge. I don't know who has the rear yard where Wally was.

You have the most brilliant memory!
I think there were places called Ebbisham Farm, Wildwoods and Hurstfields at one time or another.
Funny how things change as you have to have access to proper gallops in order to get a permit nowadays!

 

[reynold]

Wildwoods is still there run by Anthea Towell and is still a good riding school.

Ebbisham was a successful livery yard with 2 nice american barns, 3 schools and a covered walker. It is still there but stands empty for the last 12 years or so as the owner got fed up with the hassle from liveries and threw them all out and shut the place down. It was rented for a couple of years by a dressage rider about 9 years ago but has been empty again since.

Hurstfields is still there as well and was rebuilt a few years ago. It had it's own low level shows in the 80s and 90s but stopped when accidents and insurance intervened. It just has liveries now I think if it's still open.

Planning permission is unlikely to be granted on any of them as they are all green belt land and the local council is known to 'hate horses'. You never know though as the countryside is certainly under threat in the area.

 

[Dante44]

The small yard on the long drive at the end of Ebbisham lane is/was Downsview Farm, a friend owned it from late 70s to late 90s, hardly any turnout then but had long waiting list for liveries.
I did the 1st bit of BHS training at Huntersfield when Jo Taylor and Pauline Voss were there (i was there 79/80)

I predate you at Huntersfield. I rode there from 67 to 73 with the same owners and by 72 I was riding on the staff lessons on Jo's horse Erica Jane and Pauline's horse Venture and an arab of theirs called Nico that I loved dearly. The trainers then were Marie Stokes and sometimes Carol Green.

I then went onto Clock Tower and took my stage 1 and 2 there before buying my first horse and having him there on livery from 80 to 82 before moving to Headley.

I finally got my AI in 85 at Crabbett in Crawley, another place that is now concrete and housing.

Sad that the trend is still continuing with so many good yards being turned into housing.

What a blast from the past, I remember all of those horses and people. For some reason Topper, Santos and Puff the Magpie pony, Barney, Strike, Buffy and Curly spring to mind. Then there was Sportsman Sunday, does that still happen? I stopped riding there when I went away to school and got ponies.
I hadn’t realised Crabbett was built over. I took my AI at The Moat in Kent and II at Porlock Vale in Exmoor which sadly is no more.
Happy days!

 

[Dante44]

Wildwoods is still there run by Anthea Towell and is still a good riding school.

Ebbisham was a successful livery yard with 2 nice american barns, 3 schools and a covered walker. It is still there but stands empty for the last 12 years or so as the owner got fed up with the hassle from liveries and threw them all out and shut the place down. It was rented for a couple of years by a dressage rider about 9 years ago but has been empty again since.

Hurstfields is still there as well and was rebuilt a few years ago. It had it's own low level shows in the 80s and 90s but stopped when accidents and insurance intervened. It just has liveries now I think if it's still open.

Planning permission is unlikely to be granted on any of them as they are all green belt land and the local council is known to 'hate horses'. You never know though as the countryside is certainly under threat in the area.

One would hope that’s the case. I wonder if the owner’s of Ebbisham Farm would rent it out again such a shame to leave it empty and deteriorating

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

What a blast from the past, I remember all of those horses and people. For some reason Topper, Santos and Puff the Magpie pony, Barney, Strike, Buffy and Curly spring to mind. Then there was Sportsman Sunday, does that still happen? I stopped riding there when I went away to school and got ponies.
I hadn’t realised Crabbett was built over. I took my AI at The Moat in Kent and II at Porlock Vale in Exmoor which sadly is no more.
Happy days!

I used to look after Puff and Sherry on the row on the front yard at one point! Yes, I remember Curly, Cascade, Strike, Jet, Abdul, Toby, Colleen and a good number more!
This gets more spooky, I did my stage 4 and IT at Porlock!

 

[Dante44]

I used to look after Puff and Sherry on the row on the front yard at one point! Yes, I remember Curly, Cascade, Strike, Jet, Abdul, Toby, Colleen and a good number more!
This gets more spooky, I did my stage 4 and IT at Porlock!

Puff was in a corner block of three next to the indoor school with the black pony with one eye, Jet? I loaned Puff. Colleen belonged to Harry Secombe at one time. The only one I don’t remember is Abdul. Kismet was another favourite of mine. Wow this is amazing, can’t remember what I did this morning but this is like yesterday ??

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

Puff was in a corner block of three next to the indoor school with the black pony with one eye, Jet? I loaned Puff. Colleen belonged to Harry Secombe at one time. The only one I don’t remember is Abdul. Kismet was another favourite of mine. Wow this is amazing, can’t remember what I did this morning but this is like yesterday ??

When I was there, Jet was up the yard on the RH side, sharing a 3 box arrangement. Strike was in the front box I think, you went through this box to get to the other 2 boxes on each side, with Jet and little Merlin in them. (The back 2 boxes were level with the end of the feed room that ran behind the bigger stables opposite the office) Jet was very elderly then, mind you many were!

 

[reynold]

Colleen was there in my time. Topper as well. Tarquin arrived with Colleen. Then there was Saffron and her daughter Tina (both greys). Solitaire with one eye but he was ancient when I was there. Also another arab, Coco, arrived with the lovely Nico. Candy was also there - sugary name but not a 'nice' horse...

When I first went to Huntersfield there was no indoor school, just an outdoor in the same place. Woodchip straight down onto chalk base. VERY slippery in the wet and several horses came down in canter on it including one I was riding - they just couldn't keep their feet.

The indoor was built then and after that the 4 large boxes facing the carpark.

Also when I first went there the fields the other side of the lane were rented by Huntersfield. We used to spend hours there pulling ragwort. Then the local council took them back and used them to build part of Oaks Park golf course.

 

[Dante44]

Colleen was there in my time. Topper as well. Tarquin arrived with Colleen. Then there was Saffron and her daughter Tina (both greys). Solitaire with one eye but he was ancient when I was there. Also another arab, Coco, arrived with the lovely Nico. Candy was also there - sugary name but not a 'nice' horse...

When I first went to Huntersfield there was no indoor school, just an outdoor in the same place. Woodchip straight down onto chalk base. VERY slippery in the wet and several horses came down in canter on it including one I was riding - they just couldn't keep their feet.

The indoor was built then and after that the 4 large boxes facing the carpark.

Also when I first went there the fields the other side of the lane were rented by Huntersfield. We used to spend hours there pulling ragwort. Then the local council took them back and used them to build part of Oaks Park golf course.

I was struggling remembering Saffron’s name thank you! Solitaire was ancient but such a sweety and showed me that one eye wasn’t a problem. I took the ride on a one eyed youngster no one wanted because of it and he went to grade A. The indoor school was the reason I went there - sounds like they needed it! The golf course had already taken the paddocks. Councils seem to turn everything into houses or golf courses! The never ending ragwort pulling and poo picking two jobs that will continue for eternity ?

 

[reynold]

I was struggling remembering Saffron’s name thank you! Solitaire was ancient but such a sweety and showed me that one eye wasn’t a problem. I took the ride on a one eyed youngster no one wanted because of it and he went to grade A. The indoor school was the reason I went there - sounds like they needed it! The golf course had already taken the paddocks. Councils seem to turn everything into houses or golf courses! The never ending ragwort pulling and poo picking two jobs that will continue for eternity ?

One eye is often not a problem - you've brought back another memory. I rode for a little while in the early 70s at South Weylands EC in Esher, right by the river. It had an indoor school but also plenty of land and gave me the experience of jumping XC that I lacked up until then. I only remember my favourite horse's name - Monocle - as he was blind in one eye but he was a fabulous jumper.

There was also an indoor school and to hack we had to cross the main dual carriageway at the end of the drive. I don't think I'd want to do that now!!

I don't know if it's still there or has been built on. It might still be there as it's floodland and I wouldn't want to buy any house built there.

I also bought a nice Welsh D in the late 90s who had partial sight in one eye due to a cataract and he was a good jumper up to 3ft. He'd have the odd pole SJ but was brilliant XC. Sadly he broke down in front and after a year wasn't going to come right so had to be pts.

 

[Dante44]

One eye is often not a problem - you've brought back another memory. I rode for a little while in the early 70s at South Weylands EC in Esher, right by the river. It had an indoor school but also plenty of land and gave me the experience of jumping XC that I lacked up until then. I only remember my favourite horse's name - Monocle - as he was blind in one eye but he was a fabulous jumper.

There was also an indoor school and to hack we had to cross the main dual carriageway at the end of the drive. I don't think I'd want to do that now!!

I don't know if it's still there or has been built on. It might still be there as it's floodland and I wouldn't want to buy any house built there.

I also bought a nice Welsh D in the late 90s who had partial sight in one eye due to a cataract and he was a good jumper up to 3ft. He'd have the odd pole SJ but was brilliant XC. Sadly he broke down in front and after a year wasn't going to come right so had to be pts.

Yes I remember South Weylands and it’s still going.
I used to go to Ba Hammond’s for cross country and although the bears had gone I did have a monkey jump on my pony’s back while training ?

 

[Sunseeker1961]

Yes that’s the one! Long gone now. Shep was a great gambling man and knew a lot racing folk which is how we got to know him. I was only two at the time and visited for a couple of years so the memories are a little fuzzy ??
I would really love some photos as well as stories. All to do with the history of yards in Epsom.

Hi! I learned to ride at Shep's yard in the 60s! So sad it's no longer there. Here's a shot of me on Smokie with muck pit in the background!!

 

[Dante44]

Hi! I learned to ride at Shep's yard in the 60s! So sad it's no longer there. Here's a shot of me on Smokie with muck pit in the background!!

Thank you so much even the muck heap brings back memories!

 

[Grajo]

Hello - I’m hoping someone can give me some information about a stables in Ewell Village near Epsom in the 60s/70s.
I found a thread on here from years back so fingers crossed.
It was run by Shep (William Balman) who I think had only one leg.
Mike007 if you see this please get in touch

wow my grandmother still lives in Ewell (Mount Pleasant). I was born in Epsom

Other than that, I'm afraid I am no help about your query.

 

[bouncing_ball]

Does Huntersfield still exist? And does it still have an 20 x 60 indoor school? I can’t find them on Google, so has it shut?

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

Does Huntersfield still exist? And does it still have an 20 x 60 indoor school? I can’t find them on Google, so has it shut?

A quick Google found sales details from 2019, photos show it looking rather a dump, nothing like the pristine place it used to be. No living accom either, must have been sold off previously.
Photos from advert



Was v cheap too (at the time)

 

[bouncing_ball]

A quick Google found sales details from 2019, photos show it looking rather a dump, nothing like the pristine place it used to be. No living accom either, must have been sold off previously.
Photos from advert
View attachment 88752
View attachment 88753
View attachment 88754
Was v cheap too (at the time)

odd to sell horse buildings but not the land, says 10 acres separately. You’d think the combination would sell well.

Wonder if it’s now privately owned
?

 

[MotherOfChickens]

I was born in Ewell and lived there 70-78. We got our first pony in 77 but kept him on a yard on Hook Road where I’d had pony rides previously. one year the circus lions escaped and killed 2 I think. One died later of his Injuries-Jack who was a hackney. I don’t remember any of the stables within Ewell itself.

 

[reynold]

The yards on Hook Road still exist. St. Ebbas has been an RDA centre for many years (Epsom RDA).

Horton Farm across the road is still going. I haven't driven that way for many years but my friend has her retired racer there at DIY and she wouldn't be anywhere that wasn't OK for him.

 

[Tonup]

Hello - I’m hoping someone can give me some information about a stables in Ewell Village near Epsom in the 60s/70s.
I found a thread on here from years back so fingers crossed.
It was run by Shep (William Balman) who I think had only one leg.
Mike007 if you see this please get in touch

Hello, I rode at Ewell stables in 50s to 60s. Shep owned it. His favourite horse was Royal Enchanter(chanter) in loose box next to Cherry a little ExmoorI first rode at About. 6 years old. Other horses Brandy ,Misty, Gannet, Irish Star Irish Pride Candy Charm Tiggy,Toby Harmony Peggy and other. I used to go at weekend ,get there at 6.0am to start mucking out and if early do your favourite horse first. I was first taken there by my neighbour, older than me and Shep let her take me out on a pony and we went on our own. Rode home to Stoneleigh, Richland Ave and all round Nonsuch Park. Anther ponyJet. I moved away before it closed. also rode at Dell cottage owned by Sally Collins when I was About 10 and Tottenham Corner Stables on ponies rented out by Mr Sylvester an ex jockey . He let you go out on your own in the days when you could ride all over Epsom Downs. Those were the days. Hope you get this. Ton-up.

 

[Mfh999]

A quick Google found sales details from 2019, photos show it looking rather a dump, nothing like the pristine place it used to be. No living accom either, must have been sold off previously.
Photos from advert
View attachment 88752
View attachment 88753
View attachment 88754
Was v cheap too (at the time)

Oh, that brings back memories. I used to work at Huntersfield just after Jo moved there from Berkshire and was there for nearly a year but the travelling from Croydon (all public transport) got to me in the end and I moved to hunters in Sussex where I lived in. We spent a lot of time putting right and painting all the boxes (and pulling ragwort across the lane); half the boxes in the pic's didn't exist then; shame to see it so run down. I had my own youngster there, Angel and she was kept in the box next to the tack room. I remember we all (jo, Nick, her hubby (Mike?) a couple of liveries and I went on a ride to explore and we ended up on the Downs. I was on a small pony called Pedro and told them to wait for me to catch up but he was nearly as fast as Erica! I was there when Harry Secombe came for his first lesson as he had a part in Pickwick Papers and needed to learn; I can still hear him giggling across the paddock! I can remember some of the horses already mentioned as they came there with Jo; she used to get them from Derek Rickett's and his dad at that time.

 

[Tonup]

Hello - I’m hoping someone can give me some information about a stables in Ewell Village near Epsom in the 60s/70s.
I found a thread on here from years back so fingers crossed.
It was run by Shep (William Balman) who I think had only one leg.
Mike007 if you see this please get in touch

Hi, I rode at Ewell village from age of 6 . Shep had one leg. His favourite horse was a thoroughbred named Royal Enchanter. I think Chris(Christine was head girl. I used to go at 6.00 am on weekends to muck out and help all day . Got to ride to farrier in village. I rode Cherry, Gannet and Misty. They were safest as I wasa child. My neighbour rode there and took me and as She was older Shep obviously trusted her and we could ride out on our own. I’m 70 now. I went on to be a proud horse owner but sadly that’s in the past now. I can name all the horses at them stables at that time. At Age of 10 or 11 I started riding at Dell Cottage owned by Sally Collins in Dell Lane which led to the downs.. love to here more…

 

[FinnishLapphund]

Hello, I rode at Ewell stables in 50s to 60s. Shep owned it. His favourite horse was Royal Enchanter(chanter) in loose box next to Cherry a little ExmoorI first rode at About. 6 years old. Other horses Brandy ,Misty, Gannet, Irish Star Irish Pride Candy Charm Tiggy,Toby Harmony Peggy and other. I used to go at weekend ,get there at 6.0am to start mucking out and if early do your favourite horse first. I was first taken there by my neighbour, older than me and Shep let her take me out on a pony and we went on our own. Rode home to Stoneleigh, Richland Ave and all round Nonsuch Park. Anther ponyJet. I moved away before it closed. also rode at Dell cottage owned by Sally Collins when I was About 10 and Tottenham Corner Stables on ponies rented out by Mr Sylvester an ex jockey . He let you go out on your own in the days when you could ride all over Epsom Downs. Those were the days. Hope you get this. Ton-up.

If you click on Dante44's username (not in the Quote box inside your own reply, without on their username on one of their own post/replies) an Info window shows up which among a few other things says that they joined HHO late in July 2021, and that last time they were on HHO was the 22 August 2021.
Seems as if they only joined because they were looking for info on this specific subject, and when they thought they'd found all the info they would find here on HHO about it, they simply left again, and haven't returned. Either way, if they don't respond, it's not that they're ignoring your replies, without it's probably just that they don't know that their thread have received new replies.

 

[Suzichoci]

Hello - I’m hoping someone can give me some information about a stables in Ewell Village near Epsom in the 60s/70s.
I found a thread on here from years back so fingers crossed.
It was run by Shep (William Balman) who I think had only one leg.
Mike007 if you see this please get in touch

Hi Dante44 I used to ride at this riding school in the late 70s early to mid 80s till it closed down. The council wanted land for flats, so they put the rates up so high that poor Shep could no longer susttain it. Very sad day saying goodbye to the horses on auction day. I used to ride Sonny, a very old chestnut gelding. Then I rode King, a grey gelding, also rode Dolly a big dappled grey Hunter and finally Twiggy, a bay 3 quarter bred mare. Used to go riding for 2 hours over Epsom Downs. Bitsa was the resident kitty and all the cats there, probably about 5 were her babies. It was a great place and Shep also had a dog, cannot remember his name. Shep was a lovely cheeky old guy, lost his leg in the war. Even on his one leg and crutches, he always had a gentle command over the horses just by standing there. Did you ride there?

 

[vickyb]

Wildwoods is still there run by Anthea Towell and is still a good riding school.

Ebbisham was a successful livery yard with 2 nice american barns, 3 schools and a covered walker. It is still there but stands empty for the last 12 years or so as the owner got fed up with the hassle from liveries and threw them all out and shut the place down. It was rented for a couple of years by a dressage rider about 9 years ago but has been empty again since.

Hurstfields is still there as well and was rebuilt a few years ago. It had it's own low level shows in the 80s and 90s but stopped when accidents and insurance intervened. It just has liveries now I think if it's still open.

Planning permission is unlikely to be granted on any of them as they are all green belt land and the local council is known to 'hate horses'. You never know though as the countryside is certainly under threat in

This brings back memories. I was born in Ewell in the 50s and all these yards are familiar to me, but especially the ones adjacent to Walton on the Hill. I was in the Pony Club with Anthea Towill and remember when they started their riding school in Ebbisham Lane in the early 70s. When I was a child, a close family friend lived at Wingfield Farm (which at that time was, I believe, owned by the local authority) and they had a herd of jersey cows which they milked twice a day by hand - there was no electricity on the site and the loo was outside - this was in the early 60s. I remember as a small child riding one of the cows (held on by the farmer) back from the fields for milking. (I also remember the 10 foot snow drifts down Ebbisham Lane in the winter of '63).
I worked at many yards in the area, including Thirty Acre Barn, which had been sold by Geoff Lewis by then, but I can't remember who to (he wasn't at all famous as a trainer anyway).
I worked for some time at Ebbisham Farm, this was in the mid 70s. Then it was a private yard and I was the under groom, so to speak. The owner had a selection of very nice horses and some breeding mares, although he had virtually given up riding. He also had a large herd of sheep. The whole place was rather run down, with leaky stables and barns and dodgy electrics. I have seen it on Google satellite and wondered why a place that now looks so lovely appeared empty, so now I know.
Does anyone remember Mr Henderson's at Banstead? We used to ride in Nork Park. I learnt to ride there on a docked pony. Also Mairie Stokes at Tadworth? Both yards lost to housing years ago.
A picture taken in Ebbisham Farm yard in 1977. You can't see much of it, but it is nothing like today. (We were backing this horse. I was always the crash test dummy!)

 

[reynold]

I worked at Wingfield for a while around 1970. It was then owned by Frank Pearson who I seem to recall was a bookie. The yard the last time I saw it was the same for the stable block as it was then but the board house was demolished (burnt down?) and replaced by the brick built house that is there now.

I also remember Marie Stokes yard at Chapel Road. I didn't ride there but used to ride on the staff lessons given by her and/or Carol Green at Huntersfield in Banstead. We used to hack from Huntersfield to Epsom Downs to attend Horsemans Sunday in September.

I also worked at Overmist at the far end of Motts Hill Lane before it was rebuilt into a racing yard and then became the inevitable housing. That must have been around early 70s.

Another yard that is gone is Clock Tower on the A217. That had fabulous hacking on Walton Heath but is now again converted into housing. I hacked from there for years and had my first horse there at livery 1980 to 1982.