Stevenage

Stevenage is a town of approximately 88,000 (2019) in the county of Hertfordshire, in the south east of England, around 32 miles (51 km) north of central London. The town is well known for being the first ever 'new town'; new towns were a series of towns built near London after World War II. Stevenage as a whole is not as a major tourist attraction, but there are some attractions that may attract local visitors. An interesting fact about the town is that a view of Stevenage from the air, shows it as a heart shape.

Understand
Stevenage is a must for architecture and planning historians, sociologists and socialists to visit, it represents, perhaps, the most successful of the great Post-War experiments with new housing. It was a huge project to relocate those who were displaced by the war in clean, open, and healthy new towns. Its often unattractive architecture is mostly that of the 1960s and 1970s; in this it is perhaps unfortunate, but it was also conceived with a strong vision in mind.

It is easy to write Stevenage off as another soulless new town, and to make stereotypical remarks about it as a place to live, as countless unthinking and lazy commentators have done. But this is to miss what the town offers. Stevenage is like any other UK town, it has its problems and these should not be dismissed, but it also benefits from a good transport infrastructure, wide open spaces, plenty of sporting facilities, a theatre of some reputation and lovely countryside both around it, and within it.

There are many reasons why you might want to come to Stevenage to live. Swimming pools, relatively low house prices, but a quick commute to London (25 minutes by fast train), as well as tennis courts and wide open parks. All of these do attract people from the surrounding area to Stevenage. A particularly attractive feature is the network of separated bicycle paths that cross the whole area, enabling one to cycle practically anywhere in the town, without having to negotiate traffic. Stevenage has the first pedestrianised shopping precinct in the UK, which on the whole remains vibrant and successful, unlike those in many other new towns. Sadly, as with some other UK cities, this is a different place at night - its bleak, sodium-lit environment is not conducive to a thriving night time economy, which is mainly conducted in the Leisure Park by the train station, and the old town. Overall, local citizens are supportive of their town and football team (Stevenage FC), one of the most well supported football league teams in the UK.

History
People have lived in the environs of Stevenage since the Roman times, and a hoard of Roman coins was found in the mid-1980s when Chells Manor was built. One of the most 'famous' landmarks in Stevenage is the 'six hills', which were burial mounds for a wealthy Roman family. Later on, Saxons settled nearby to what is now the Great North Road, subsequently bypassed by the A1(M) motorway. The Saxons gave their new village the name 'Stigenace' or 'Stithenac', which means 'at the strong oak'. Over the following centuries, various hamlets and farmsteads sprung up around the village of Stevenage, the largest ones being Shephall and Broadwater. Stevenage was probably affected by the Danish invasions in the late 9th century as several places very close by have the name Dane End, which usually marks the edge of 'Dane-law'.

Stevenage became more stable during the 11th century, and the Domesday Book records the existence of Stevenage, and many nearby hamlets such as Chells, Shephall, Woolenwick, Whomerley, and Broadwater. Things progressed slowly and steadily for the following centuries, when Stevenage grew from a village to a very small and attractive market town centred around the High Street. Stevenage was frequently visited by people travelling on the Great North Road (that used to run through Stevenage), including Samuel Pepys.

In the mid 19th century the population grew to 2,100 as a result of the new railway station built in the town. During the 19th century Charles Dickens and Edward Bulwer Lytton founded the Guild of Literature and Arts on London Road, Stevenage. E.M. Forster also lived at Rooks Nest near St Nicholas Church.

The most dramatic change came in the 1946 when Stevenage became the location for the "First New-Town". There were some disgruntled inhabitants of the Old Town who believed Stevenage was only their town, and that they were being swamped by the newcomers from London and Essex. In the next twenty years the population rocketed from roughly 7,000 to around 60,000.

Since then a number of other large housing developments have been built, the biggest being Chells Manor, Poplars, St Nicholas, and Great Ashby.

By car
The A1(M) motorway is the most common road used to get into the town and it runs along the western border of the town, although planned future development of Stevenage may breach this barrier and continue on the other side. The A1(M) stretches from London to Edinburgh, and roughly follows the path of the famous and historic Great North Road. The other major road connecting Stevenage to the surrounding area is the A602 which connects the town to the A10 and Ware to the Southeast, and Hitchin to the Northwest.

By plane
The nearest airports are London Luton Airport  (about 10 miles west of Stevenage, easily accessible by the A505 via Hitchin, or buses 101 and 777), and London Stansted Airport  (about 30 miles to the east of Stevenage, accessible by coach 777).

By coach
National Express Coach 777 from Luton, Birmingham and Stansted Airports stop in Stevenage. Public buses also run frequently from nearby towns and villages (such as Hitchin, Luton, Welwyn Garden City, Hatfield, Hemel Hempstead, Hertford, Ware and Letchworth), to the Stevenage Bus Station in the centre of the town and to Lister Hospital, in the Corey's Mill district of Stevenage.

Get around
You can easily get around Stevenage by car, bus, foot or bike.

By car
If you choose a car to travel around Stevenage, consult a good street map first, although the routes are straightforward if you are heading in to the centre of the town for shopping. One thing to watch for in Stevenage is its roundabouts, something the town is very famous for because there are far more of them than in most towns, and they are decorated with flowers most of the year. There are many reasonably priced car parks, but the main ones are the 13 council-managed car parks in the centre of town. These are: Westgate Multi-Storey (attached to an indoor shopping centre), St George's Way Multi-Storey, Marshgate, Southgate, Fairlands Way, Swingate, Daneshill, Railway North, Railway South, Danesgate, Swingate East and the Leisure Centre. In the Old Town, the best bet is the short stay car park behind Waitrose. Elsewhere, Roaring Meg Car Park or Monkswood Retail Park.

By bus
If you wish to travel by bus there is an abundance of bus stops, at least one on all main streets and one on some more minor streets. Stevenage is served by numerous bus companies such as: Arriva, Centrebus, Richmond's, and Uno. Timetables are available at the County Council's Intalink website Intalink. Stevenage Bus Station is on, off Danestrete, in the town centre, adjacent to the Town Square.

The price of bus tickets vary (depending on the distance you are travelling), but you usually pay around £2.30 for a single ticket, £3.50 for a return, or £4 for a day ticket. If you are 11–19, disabled, or a pensioner then you can apply for a pass from Hertfordshire County Council, that will allow for discounted or free bus and train travel.

By bike
Cycling is made very easy around Stevenage by the excellent Cycle Path Network. As well as lots of cycle paths there are footpaths everywhere and many pedestrianised streets.

See

 * High Street and the Old Town Before the arrival of the new town Stevenage was a small town centred around the old High Street. On the High Street there are several listed buildings, some very old pubs, restaurant and upmarket one-off shops. There are other streets with many old buildings off and near the High Street, such as the Bowling Green.
 * High Street and the Old Town Before the arrival of the new town Stevenage was a small town centred around the old High Street. On the High Street there are several listed buildings, some very old pubs, restaurant and upmarket one-off shops. There are other streets with many old buildings off and near the High Street, such as the Bowling Green.

Do

 * Walking There are many good walks to be had in and around Stevenage. One of the most notable is The Avenue walk. This walk takes you from the High Street, north to the tree lined Avenue and along the avenue to St Nicholas Church and then on to Rooks Nest, the undulating Forster Country countryside and the forgotten hamlet of Chesfield (which has the ruins of the ancient church of St Aethelreda). Around Stevenage, you can easily walk to some pretty and picturesque villages, such as Weston, Graveley, Walkern, Aston, Datchworth and Benington by way of public footpaths.
 * Stevenage Leisure Park, Six Hills Way. The leisure park has lots of attractions. Firstly, there's the large 16-screen multiplex Cineworld Stevenage cinema (Booking Line: 0871 220 8000). Then there's the bowling alley (Hollywood Bowl), a range of night clubs and eating places.
 * Stevenage Leisure Park, Six Hills Way. The leisure park has lots of attractions. Firstly, there's the large 16-screen multiplex Cineworld Stevenage cinema (Booking Line: 0871 220 8000). Then there's the bowling alley (Hollywood Bowl), a range of night clubs and eating places.

Sports

 * Football: Stevenage FC were promoted in 2023 and now play soccer in League One, the third tier. Their home stadium is Broadhall Way aka Lamex Stadium, capacity 7800, at the south end of town centre.
 * For rugby, try Stevenage Rugby Club, Graveley Road.
 * Next to the Rugby Club is Lister Tennis Club. To avoid paying the expensive tennis club court rates, you can play at several free courts dotted around the town, which you really need to keep your eyes peeled out for (some tennis players have lived in the town for years and didn't know there were any free courts).
 * For watersports the best place is Fairlands Valley Park.
 * Golf can be played at the municipal golf course on Aston Lane, in the very southern end of the town.
 * Other sports are also catered for at the Leisure Centre and some other venues. During the holidays, some schools rent out their good sports facilities, such as the John Henry Newman School.

Buy

 * Most souvenirs on offer for tourists can be purchased from Stevenage Museum. They sell Stevenage postcards, key rings, and Stevenage history and guide books.
 * Roaring Meg Retail Park (there is a large branch of Curry's, Homebase, Toys 'R' Us, and many other stores),
 * Monkswood Retail Park
 * High Street for more upmarket shops.
 * High Street for more upmarket shops.

If you're looking for something niche, the quiet villages surrounding Stevenage such Knebworth, Woolmer Green and Aston feature many small specialist shops, including SuSu Style, Friend Of Danesdury, Sport Autograph and Fitness Footwear.

There are lots of supermarkets in Stevenage, the main ones being the two large Tesco's, the huge Asda, the two Sainsbury's, an Aldi, and the Old Town Waitrose. Most of the larger supermarkets have petrol stations, but there are many more petrol stations across the town.

There are many local corner shops-come-post offices in the numerous neighbourhood centres. The neighbourhood centres also have several other shops; such as a fast food outlets, mini supermarket, Balti house, off-license, hairdresser's, butcher's etc. There are ten large neighbourhood centres: Bedwell Crescent, Marymead, Oak's Cross, The Hyde, The Glebe, The Oval, Poplars, Canterbury Way, Great Ashby, Filey Close and Chells Manor. And other smaller neighbourhood centres in the following streets: Archer Road, Austen Paths, Burwell Road, Fairview Road, Hydean Way, Kenilworth Close, Lonsdale Road, Mobbsbury Way, Popple Way, Rockingham Way, Roebuck and Whitesmead Road.

Eat
Restaurants and other eateries in Stevenage range between average to good! The restaurants include Italian, Indian, Chinese and others. Alternatively, go to some of the fine country pubs nearby or venture a few miles north to the more old market town of Hitchin. Service in Stevenage restaurants is, again, generally average. There are lots of Indian restaurants and a few Chinese restaurants. Stevenage also has many fast food joints: several McDonald's, two Burger Kings, two Pizza Huts, various independent burger, kebab and fried chicken takeaway places as well as numerous fish & chip shops.


 * The Cromwell Hotel, (Old Town) has a good restaurant and serves attractive bar meals too. Interesting historic building, too!
 * The Cromwell Hotel, (Old Town) has a good restaurant and serves attractive bar meals too. Interesting historic building, too!
 * The Cromwell Hotel, (Old Town) has a good restaurant and serves attractive bar meals too. Interesting historic building, too!

There are many places to eat in the Leisure Park, most notable restaurants are the Ask Restaurant. Whilst the general food in the Leisure Park is not that good, Ask and a couple of others give average or better food at an affordable price, just do not expect Gordon Ramsey type standards.

Other places to eat for family meals are not highly recommended although children tend to enjoy them are

Further afield there are excellent restaurants in local villages such as Datchworth (The Tilbury-Inn on the Green, and Coltsfoot Country Retreat), Tewin (Plume of Feathers), and Watton at Stone (George and Dragon).

Cafes
The town now has a couple of very good cafes, such as

Pubs
In Stevenage, there are roughly 25 pubs. Some are better than others. Here are some of the better ones:



If you want to travel further afield some good pubs nearby are:



Sleep
Because Stevenage isn't really a tourist destination, there are not that many hotels for a town of its size.

B&Bs
There are several B&Bs not previously mentioned, most on the High Street or elsewhere in the Old Town. All are reasonably priced and offer decent accommodation.

One of them, Redwood House in Knebworth, is popular among professionals working in the information technology companies in Stevenage.Bed and Breakfast Agency. There are frequent buses and trains between Knebworth and Stevenage.

Go next
Stevenage is near lovely, undulating countryside and picturesque villages, yet it's only half an hour away from the great city of London. Therefore, this makes Stevenage an ideal base to explore London and the Home Counties.

Nearby attractions
The following attractions are within about 15 miles of Stevenage:


 * Hatfield House is a lovely 17th century house set in a very extensive estate. The estate has: the house, the beautiful Old Palace & Knot Garden (the childhood home of Elizabeth I), the famous park and the gorgeous gardens. The park is famous for being the place where Elizabeth I first learned of her ascension to the throne, in 1558 and because it has so many ancient trees.
 * Shaw's Corner, Ayot St Lawrence. The former home of Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw is set in a couple of acres of pretty gardens in the beautiful village of Ayot St Lawrence. It has a fascinating interior and lots of events this summer as it is the 150th anniversary of GB Shaw's birth.

Nearby villages
East Hertfordshire Villages


 * Westmill, nr Buntingford, Herts. Picturesque village with a very good tearoom and excellent pub (Sword In Hand). At its heart is a beautiful green surrounded by idyllic cottages. The village is signposted from the stretch of the A10 between Buntingford and Puckeridge.
 * Datchworth, nr Stevenage, Herts. Attractive village with an excellent pub (The Plough) and gastro-pub (Tilbury Inn on the Green) and a lovely green on which Cricket is played regularly throughout the Summer.
 * Benington for the Benington & Benington Lordship, a picturesque small village a couple of miles east of Stevenage, complete with a duck pond, thatches, village green and a beautiful stone church. Benington Lordship is a beautiful house attached to the ruins of a Norman castle. It is set in several acres of stunning, tranquil gardens.
 * Ardeley, nr Stevenage, Herts. Beautifully quaint village with a lovely church, pond and village green. Good drinking pub 'The Jolly Waggoner' too.
 * Standon, nr Ware, Herts. Standon is a beautiful village with a picturesque church, a few good pubs, a lovely river (River Rib) & refurbished mill (now expensive apartments) and an idyllic high street (complete with old fashioned villagey shops- butchers, bakery etc.). There are many interesting listed buildings in the village, such as the former school next to the church. There is also a large lordship house, which you will reach eventually if you walk down Paper Mill Lane. It is the former home of important local historical figure Sir Ralph Sadleir (the school in neighbouring Puckeridge is named after him) and he is buried at the Standon church.
 * Aston, nr Stevenage, Herts. Picturesque village located on a ridge between the Beane Valley and Stevenage. Just north is the pretty hamlet of Aston End, which is almost part of Stevenage nowadays. It has a beautiful church, St Mary's which is the partner parish of the St Mary's at Shephall.
 * Braughing, nr Ware, Herts. Absolutely lovely village, which is very popular with tourists. It has picturesque buildings, a beautiful church and a ford.

North Hertfordshire Villages


 * Preston, nr Hitchin, Herts. Beautiful small village with a pub that is excellent for real ales. It grew up around Temple Dinsley, which belonged to the Knights Templar, until it was sold to Sir Ralph Sadleir. Now the site of Temple Dinsley is home to the private school Princess Helena College. Very close to the village is the supposedly haunted ruins of Minsden Chapel. Later on, in the 1600s, John Bunyan held services in a natural amphitheatre in Preston, which was then named Bunyan's Dell. The village also has a very good play area, just behind St Martin's Church, called Churchyard Meadows.
 * St Paul's Walden, nr Hitchin, Herts. This picturesque tiny village has a good pub, The Strathmore Arms. There is also the superb St Paul's Walden Bury (the family home of the late Queen Mother), which has beautiful grounds and gardens. The Bury is occasionally open to the public. The village also has an unusually large church (for the size of the village) which is set in a prominent position overlooking the Bury, pub, and surrounding countryside. There is plenty of car parking up by the church and at the pub.
 * Datchworth, nr Stevenage, Herts. Beautiful, small, friendly village with a lovely village green.