1. A method for prefetching data stored in a memory, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a reference address associated with a machine instruction that is executable to carryout a function other than prefetching the data; (b) determining that the reference address indicates a location within a prefetch region of the memory, said prefetch region being defined by compile-time information associated with a set of machine instructions for processing the data; (c) determining an address of a prefetch block of the data within the prefetch region as a function of the reference address and the compile-time information; and (d) prefetching the prefetch block of the data from the prefetch region of the memory before the prefetch block of the data are required for processing in accord with the set of machine instructions.