| Borough of Stevenage | |
|---|---|
| [image] | [image] Shown within Hertfordshire |
| Geography | |
| Status: | Borough |
| Region: | East of England |
| Admin. County: | Hertfordshire |
| Area: - Total | Ranked 342nd 25.96 kmē |
| Admin. HQ: | Stevenage |
| Grid ref: | TL2424 |
| ONS code: | 26UH |
| Demographics | |
| Population: - Total (2003 est.) - Density | Ranked 290th 79,675 3,069 / kmē |
| Ethnicity: | 94.6% White 2.1% S.Asian 1.2% Afro-Carib. |
| Politics | |
| Stevenage Borough Council http://www.stevenage.gov.uk/ | |
| Leadership: | Leader & Cabinet |
| Executive: | Labour |
| MP: | Barbara Follett |
Its population was 1,430 in 1801, 4,049 in 1901 and 79,724 in 2001 - the biggest rise being in the 1950s and 1960s, after becoming a New town.
A little to the east of the Roman sites the first Saxon camp was made in a clearing in the woods. This is where the Church, Manor house and the first Village were later built. It is thought that the town's name comes from the Saxon stithen ac meaning strong oak. Similar settlements sprang up in the nearby areas of Chells, Broadwater and Shephall.
In the Domesday Book, its Lord of the Manor was the Abbot of Westminster. The settlement had moved down to the Great North Road and in 1281 it was granted a Royal Charter to hold a weekly market and annual fair (still held in the High Street).
The earliest part of St Nicholas Church dates from the 12th century, but it was probably a site of worship much earlier. The known list of priests or rectors is relatively complete from 1213.
The remains of a medieval moated homestead in Whomerley Wood is an 80 yard square trench almost 5 feet wide in parts. It was probably the home of Ralph de Homle, and both Roman and later pottery has been found there.
For a description of the medieval manorial records, and details of Stevenage's history from the Tudor period to the Victorian era - see the external history link.
In 1281 Stevenage was granted a twice weekly market and an annual fair. Both were probably held in the wide part of the present High Street to the north of Middle Row. The High Street is closed for an annual fair even today.
Around 1500 the Church was much improved, with decorative woodwork within, and with the addition of a Clerestory.
It was in the 16th century (1558) that Thomas Alleyne founded the free Grammar school - the school (no longer grammar) still exists on its original site at the north end of the High Street.
Stevenage's prosperity came in part from the North Road, which was turnpiked in the early 18th century. Many inns in the High Street served the stage coaches, 21 of which passed through Stevenage each day in 1800.
In 1857 the Great Northern Railway was constructed, and the era of the stage coach had ended. Stevenage grew only slowly throughout the 19th century and a second church (Holy Trinity) was constructed at the south end of the High Street. In 1861 Dickens commented "The village street was like most other village streets: wide for its height, silent for its size, and drowsy in the dullest degree. The quietest little dwellings with the largest of window-shutters to shut up nothing as if it were the Mint or the Bank of England."
The pedestrianised town centre was the first traffic-free shopping zone in Britain, and was officially opened in 1959 by the Queen. By the Clock tower and ornamental pool is Joyride, a mother and child sculpture by Franta Belsky.
Next to the Town Gardens, the Church of St George and St Andrew is an example of modern church design and is also near Stevenage Museum.
A distinctive feature of Stevenage is its urban landscape. It has many roundabouts, few traffic lights, a network of cycle tracks, and some of the tallest street-lights in Britain. Fairlands Valley is a large area of parkland with boating lakes. The town is a very green town, with avenues of trees (typically Norway Maple) throughout but also large woods such as Monks & Whomerley Wood, which is ancient semi-natural woodland. Indeed in the UK it is only matched for the ease of access to large woodland by places such the Forest of Dean (Woodland Trust data). There are also many playing fields (e.g. St. Nicholas playing fields near Ripon Road). The town's schools all have a substantial amount of ground; key examples are Ashtree Primary School, Moss Bury Primary School and Collenswood.
The Stevenage Leisure Centre contains the Gordon Craig Theatre and many sporting opportunities. The Stevenage Leisure Park has a multiplex cinema, clubs and restaurants. The main shopping area is around Queensway and the Westgate. At Roaring Meg there is an out of town shopping area known by some as the 'tin cans'. There is also shopping in the Old Town.
In 1999 the Millennium clock tower was introduced to the town centre in order to display a count down for the new millennium.
Separated from the residential parts of the town is the Industrial Area. For many years, British Aerospace was the largest employer in the town, but now Glaxo has a large pharmaceutical research laboratory complex, and there are many small to medium size firms as well.
The town is still growing, and is now set to expand west of the Motorway. The new development of Great Ashby near Chells Manor to the northeast of the town (but actually in North Herts District) has continued the growth of the town.
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