h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Fields of the Nephalin (no idea how to spell that), apparently a goth band, come from stevenage.

Rob Newman, the comedian, has some kind of connection, which is why most episodes of the Mary Whitehouse Experience contained some kind of rude reference to the town.

Barry Norman lives in Datchworth (small village close by) and his daughters went to Stevenage Girls School.

Marty Wilde lives in Knebworth.

And.......................

Well OK, not terribly impressive. I do seem to meet stevenagers in the most unlikely places though, but it has been postulated that the reason for this is an overwhelming desire to get away from the place. One such ex-pat (who fled to Australia) told me that one of the Astronaughts was from stevenage (a clear winner in the escapee stakes), but I don't know who.

Paper making in the UK was pioneered in Stevenage, but I can't remember the name of the guy.

Vincent motorcycles were built in the Old Town, on the premises of what is now Alleynes School.

The old A1 runs right through the centre of Stevenage, which Dick Turpin often made his raids on innocent rich people.

There used to be a monastery in what is now the edge of Broadwater, in a place called Monks Wood. The moat is still there today.

Most of the area around Fairlands Valley Park was in fact owned by one farming family by the name of Marriott.

Not only was Bosoton Kickout filmed in Stevenage, but a much earlier film by the name of "Here we go round the Mulberry Bush" was too. An episode of Morse was partly shot in Stevenage, outside The Grange and also at the Confederation Life building.

The Confederation Life building is an imposing structure located fairly close to the commercial centre. I heard a rumour that the reason the building is in the shape of a bird of prey is that it was originally intended for Eagle Star.

Stevenage Boro is THE best team in the world....... probably.

I think Marty Wilde lives in Tewin, an altogether posher place than Knebworth, and further from Stevenage. He does use the golf club in Knebworth though. He is the owner of 'Select Sound Studios', a recording studio in the centre of Knebworth, but the last I saw it was up for sale. I heard that the technology in the place was behind the state of the art.

There was a rumour that Samantha Fox had bought a house in Knebworth, but this was a long time ago before she ceased being famous.

Marty Feldman's nephew lives in the village, but that is a very tenous link to fame indeed.