'Shenfield' is explained as beautiful open land, or good lands.
The Domesday Book of 1086 records it as Scenefelda, though another reading gives Chenefield. The station opened in 1843, closed in 1850 for lack of passengers and reopened in 1887 as Shenfield & Hutton Junction, by the boundary with neighbouring Hutton; it became plain Shenfield again in 1969.