The former Hertfordshire home of Queen's first manager, Norman Sheffield, has been listed for sale with Hamptons at £3.5 million. The mock-Tudor property, known as Trevigue, is located on Springle Lane in Hertford and was Sheffield's residence during the 1970s while he managed the iconic rock band.
Norman Sheffield and Queen
Sheffield, a drummer, co-founded Trident Studios in 1968 with his brother Barry. Over the next 15 years, the studio hosted legendary artists such as The Beatles, who recorded 'Hey Jude' there, as well as David Bowie, Elton John, and the Rolling Stones. By 1972, the Sheffield brothers began developing their own talent and discovered a "raw and demanding" four-piece rock band originally called Smile. After watching them perform a one-hour support gig in Denmark Hill, they signed and managed the band, renaming them Queen. Under Trident's management, Queen recorded three albums and hit singles like 'Seven Seas of Rhye' and 'Killer Queen'.
Fractious Relationship
Despite their success, the relationship between Sheffield and Queen, particularly with frontman Freddie Mercury, was turbulent. In his biography, Life on Two Legs: Set the Record Straight, Sheffield described the band members: "Roger Taylor was a really good-looking kid, with long blond hair and charm. Brian May was tall with a mane of curls and a little introverted but clearly very intelligent. The bass player, John Deacon, was also quiet. I could tell right away that the fourth member was going to be high maintenance." He recalled a heated argument when John Deacon requested £10,000 (about £90,000 in 2013 values) to buy a house, which Sheffield refused.
By 1975, the relationship had completely deteriorated, leading Mercury to write the scathing song 'Death on Two Legs', referring to Sheffield as a "sewer rat decaying in a cesspool of pride" and accusing him of sucking blood like a leech. Sheffield sued Queen for defamation and settled out of court. The band eventually severed ties with Sheffield later that year, paying Trident £100,000 in severance fees and reluctantly agreeing to 1% of album royalties.
The Property: Trevigue
Built in the 1920s, Trevigue is a six-bedroom, 5,731-square-foot house set on over two acres of land. The home features a grand reception hall with a curved staircase and an enormous hearth. Downstairs includes a double-aspect drawing room of 839 square feet, a dining room, kitchen, breakfast room, office, study, and a wine cellar. Upstairs, the principal bedroom boasts two dressing rooms and two ensuites. Outside, there is a terrace with a heated swimming pool and a pool house with a kitchenette and changing rooms. The grounds also include an ornamental pond, courtyard garden, vegetable garden, soft fruit garden, orchard, and various outbuildings, garages, and greenhouses.
Music History
According to the current owners, Queen spent considerable time at Trevigue, mingling with other stars like Elton John, who allegedly played the piano for them. Sheffield lived in Hertfordshire most of his life, later moving to nearby Broxbourne. He passed away in 2014, and Brian May wrote on his website: "We had our differences of course, but, in the Grand Scheme of Things, all the water had long since flowed under the bridge."
The current owners purchased Trevigue in 2013 as a family home and are now downsizing. Oliver Babbage, head of sales at Hamptons in Hertford, described the property as a "beautiful family home" with "a fantastic link to music history as the former residence of the iconic rock band Queen's original manager, Norman Sheffield." He added that it has been "lovingly updated and meticulously maintained" and "has been at the heart of countless memorable gatherings, celebrations, and family moments."
