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'People are surprised I care for a flock of sheep'

Harriet Heywood & Neve Gordon-Farleigh
BBC News, Norfolk
Edd Smith/BBC Hannah Murrell a woman with blonde hair is crouched down in a field with her black and brown sheepdog Roo. She is wearing blue jeans and a black coat. She is looking at the camera and is smiling. Edd Smith/BBC
Hannah Murrell said she would be lost without her sheepdog Roo, who she had an "instant bond" with

Hannah Murrell says many people are surprised to learn she looks after a flock of 400 sheep.

"You wouldn't expect little old me to do a job like this," says the 24-year-old, who comes from a farming family.

She recently took her first role as a shepardess at the Gawdy Hall Estate in Harleston, Norfolk.

Working seven days a week and almost 24 hours a day during lambing season, Hannah says working with livestock is "not for everyone" but is something she puts her "heart and soul" into.

Gawdy Hall Estate Hannah Murrell is tending to groups of sheep which are in pens and fences. She is wearing a coat and red gloves. Gawdy Hall Estate
"It's weird, but you do notice when there is something not right [with the flock] it's just that instinct...it stands out like a sore thumb," says Hannah

Before joining Gawdy Hall in October, Hannah worked with her family's cattle at Pulham Herefords in South Norfolk.

Her grandad was a pig farmer, her parents have nine hand-reared cows and her sister, Lizzie, is a pig farmer.

"You don't meet many shepherdesses in Norfolk because it's not really sheep country," Hannah said.

"There are more of us in the north of England but it's still very much a male-dominated profession."

With family and friends working in agriculture, she "couldn't imagine doing anything else," and despite the hours "didn't miss out out on much" in terms of a social life.

"We [Hannah and her partner] do live a normal life... apart from lambing time".

Gawdy Hall Estate Hannah Murrell is wearing a black coat and black had that reads 'Ewe First' while looking at the camera and smiling. Behind here are some sheep being led through a metal framed walkway. Gawdy Hall Estate
"With all that's going on at the moment I really think the agricultural industry needs the young people," said the third generation farmer, Hannah

This season they are expecting about 300 lambs at the 16th Century site, which is the sister estate to Courteenhall Farm in Northamptonshire.

Hannah says lambing season is the most stressful time to own sheep, the most enjoyable and sometimes the saddest.

"It brings the mothering instinct out in you," she says.

Edd Smith/BBC A flock of sheep outside in a field. Edd Smith/BBC
Gawdy Hall is the sister estate to Courteenhall Farm in Northamptonshire and introduced rare breed sheep in 2023

Hannah hoped to encourage more young people to consider farming, including those who did not come from agricultural background.

She said: "To have people that are interested in agriculture, whether it's arable or livestock, without a farming background is a really good thing.

"There aren't many farmers out here and it takes a lot for you to jump into it because it is technically the unknown...it is hard but they're the ones that are really willing to learn and progress in agriculture."

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