Hill was born in Brompton Square, London. As a youth he was taught the oboe by Leon Goossens. At Eton College he captained the school shooting VIII and led it to win the Asburton Shield at Bisley. On leaving school, he did his National Service with the Royal Scots Greys in Germany from 1948 to 1950. Life in Ardingly, a discount house and chartered accountancy followed, with awards of ACA in 1959 and FCA 1962. In 1963 he took up farming.