Stevenage

Weston Road, Stevenage & Forster Country. Forster Country is a relatively small area of countryside around Rooks Nest House, and it is the last remaining bit of green belt land in Stevenage Borough. Rooks Nest was the inspiration for the famous writer E.M. Forster's famous novel Howard's End. Forster lived at Rooks Nest during his childhood years, in the late 19th century. The farmhouse is a beautiful old building on a quiet lane situated on the edge of the Old Town of Stevenage. Forster Country starts at a modern sculpture inscribed 'Only Connect' (this can be reached via a path in the St Nicholas Church churchyard) and includes the fields near that (it has no clear border). Rooks Nest House is a private residence and not open to the public.

Facilities: disabled toilet with baby changing, small coffee areas and gift shop. This small but fascinating museum is a real gem in Stevenage and acts as one of the few links between Stevenage's past and present. It tells the story of Stevenage before it was a new town, which is a time most know very little about and after it became a new town. It also has an archive of old photographs, documents etc. related to the town. The museum is very child friendly with regularly changing, fun exhibitions and lots of events.

St Nicholas Church is the ancient parish church of Stevenage. The present Norman church replaced a much simpler Saxon church in 1100 AD and like many Hertfordshire churches it is built predominantly of flint. The current Anglican parish of St Nicholas stretches across the north of the town, but there are eight other Anglish parishes in Stevenage, but only the one civil parish. Free but optional small donation.

St Mary's is the ancient parish church of Shephall, which was once a hamlet separate from Stevenage, until it was swamped by the large Shephall housing estate. But Shephall Green remains a little enclave with a 'villagey feel'. The church is at least nine hundred years old and has many interesting features such as the rare Saxon stone relic inscribed with indecipherable runic letters. The church and its churchyard are beautiful.

Manor House not open to public but the Lane is open all year all day. The Manor House is on a quiet lane which is an enclave of the Chells Manor housing estate. The secluded lane has a lovely duck pond, several nice houses, a few old cottages and the manor house itself. Chells Lane is a reminder that not that long ago Chells Manor was only a tiny hamlet in the middle of the countryside, not a housing estate that is home to 5-10,000 people. If you are visiting Chells Lane, Box Wood (about a 15-minute walk away) is also worth a look. The Manor House is a private residence, as are all the other houses.

Gresley Way. Daily, year round. Box Wood is a beautiful 27-acre wood which has a spectacular show of bluebells in springtime, lots of wildflowers and an array of wildlife (such as muntjac deer, rabbits, jays and woodpeckers- even some very rare waxwings were sighted last winter). There are several benches in the wood (although some have suffered vandalism), a gravelled path (as well as many other paths) and a few parking spaces dotted around its edge. There are some guided walks and tours of the wood throughout the year, organised by the Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust. Box Wood is also called Pryors Wood, but Box Wood is historically its proper name. For the link, click on Nature Reserves and then 'Pryor's Wood' (which is under 'North Herts'). Free.

Plaque commemorating Henry Trigg, 18c. farmer who died in 1724 and whose coffin was fixed to a beam. Henry Trigg had his coffin placed in the rafters of 37 High St to avoid body snatchers. After his death in 1724 his brother, The Rev Thomas Trigg, put aside any scruples that he may have had and agreed to fulfil Henry's request. The remains were duly sealed in a coffin and placed in full view in the appointed location. In 1774 the house became the Old Castle Inn. In 1831, a new landlord Mr Bellamy, took over. His first task was to inspect the coffin. Henry, he confirmed, was still inside. A further check was made in 1906 when members of the East Hertfordshire Archaeological Society were allowed access to it. Their report shows that the coffin contained about two thirds of a human skeleton. However, during the first world war soldiers were stationed in the area. Several were reported to have plundered the coffin taking home bones as souvenirs. It was also reported that some soldiers sold on some bones to the local populous as trinkets. It would appear therefore that, despite all his precautions, poor old Henry finally fell foul of his dreaded bodysnatchers. The coffin remains in situ in the rafters of a building at 37 High Street, Old Stevenage. There is a plaque recording the event on the building.

The remains of a medieval moated homestead in Whomerley Wood is an 80-square-yard 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.