just found this fascinating thread and had something to add. I was actually born in Harpenden, now I know what the -den stands for what does the Harpen- mean? Also, i was raised in luton and some years ago came across the history of the town and was interested to see that not only was it a highly disputed parish between the Archbishop of St. Albans and vaux Hall but much earlier had been a frontier town between the saxon south and the danelaw to the north. Although the town isn't up to much nowadays, Historically it was a pretty important place...apart from the fact that that the river Lea (at leagrave wheer it springs from) is one of the more important tributaries for the Thames.

The area has never had its own folk tradition, or has never kept it up. But a folk band from the town took it upon themselves to write a cycle of songs about the town in a trad vein. Which ended up as a record called 'Strawplait and Old Lace' unfortunately I have completely forgotten the name of the group which is really bad because Graeme the singer and Guitarist was a colleage on the commitee for Luton Folk Club for a number of years.