Stevenage

Stevenage is a planned settlement in Hertfordshire, roughly 50 kilometers north of London, covering several residential neighborhoods and a compact commercial center. The settlement connects an old village core with modern districts laid out according to functional principles after World War Two.

The settlement received its market rights in 1281 and developed into a coaching stop on the Great North Road during medieval times. After 1946 it was redesigned as the country's first officially designated new town and served as a model for similar projects across Britain.

Residents gather in the pedestrian squares where modernist architecture from the post-war years creates open spaces between shops and offices. The contrast between the old village core and the planned residential neighborhoods shows how life adapted to two different urban layouts within one place.

The town center is easy to explore on foot because most shops and facilities lie within a car-free zone. Trains connect the station with London King's Cross in under half an hour.

The town name comes from Old English words referring to a stiff oak tree and first appears in written sources around 1060. The church in the old village core contains parts dating from the 12th century and stands just a short walk from the modern main square.

Location: Stevenage

Founders: Monica Felton

Shares border with: Hitchin

Website: http://stevenage.gov.uk

GPS coordinates: 51.90167,-0.20194

Latest update: December 12, 2025 20:31