Discover Stevenage: city history, trails and culture

At Stevenage Museum, the story of the town’s history spans the Stone Age, its development as the first New Town and the present day. The Stevenage Heart Trails take a different approach: they lead through various parts of town and showcase public art and heritage along the way. If you choose Stevenage for a stay, you can focus on both historical themes and trails and activities.

Town history at the museum

The archaeological collection at Stevenage Museum adds evidence of early settlers in the area to this overview, including Roman farmers and Saxon inhabitants. In this way, widely separated periods sit side by side: the collections span the Stone Age, Stevenage’s development as the first New Town and the present day, while the archaeological finds highlight specific groups of early inhabitants in the area.

General admission to Stevenage Museum is free, although a small fee may be charged for some events. If you would like to combine a museum visit with an event, it is worth bearing this distinction in mind when planning.

Trails through the town and the Old Town

The Stevenage Heart Trails comprise more than 27 miles of mostly traffic-free paths through various parts of town. They are suitable for walking, wheelchair use and cycling. Public art and heritage are also among the things the trails showcase along the way. This means they cater to a range of interests, without being limited to just one mode of transport.

In Stevenage Old Town, the High Street still follows its original route. It is mostly level and pedestrian-friendly, and easy to explore on foot. Markets often bring the street to life. These details can help you distinguish the High Street, a walk along a historic street, from the longer Heart Trails.

Another feature of the Old Town is The Avenue, a long, tree-lined path. Many locals call it Conker Avenue. This is a local name for the path; describing it as a tree-lined route gives a different impression of the Old Town from the route and market activity of the High Street.

At Hampson Park, the Hampson Park Tree Trail takes you on a short walk to notable trees. It was established in 2007. The trees are numbered, and an information board near the car park helps you identify the species. Compared with the Heart Trails’ more than 27 miles, this Tree Trail is specifically described as a short walk; the numbered trees and information board give it a distinct focus.

Stage and art

The Gordon Craig Theatre opened in 1975 and has a 501-seat auditorium. Its programme includes plays, pantomimes, operas, dance performances and one-off variety music shows. This range gives Stevenage a clear focus on the performing arts alongside its history and trails. You can check which performances fit your travel dates against your specific travel plans.

The underpass at Sish Lane is part of an important transport link between Stevenage Old Town and Stevenage Town Centre. It also features an urban artwork depicting scenes from the Old Town and the New Town. The transport link and artwork make the underpass a distinct landmark between these two parts of town.

Tailor your search to what you want to focus on during your stay.

Discover more destinations: Letchworth, Codicote, Kings Langley, Baldock, Redbourn, Elstree, Bishops Stortford, Buntingford.

See the wider travel overview: Hertfordshire.