Arbury is a district and electoral ward of the city of
Cambridge,
England. The ward borders the following other wards (from North, proceeding clockwise):
Histon,
King's Hedges, West
Chesterton, Market and
Castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built during the Middle Ages predominantly by the nobility or royalty and by military orders. Scholars debate the scope of the word ''castle'', but usually consider it to be the private fortified r ...
.
History
The area has been occupied since at least Roman times. In the 1950s, stone coffins from the 2nd century were discovered, as well as the remains of a Roman villa and mausoleum. In medieval times, a decaying circular earthwork of unknown age was visible just to the north of where Arbury Road meets Histon Road (now part of
Orchard Park) and was known as Hardburgh, Arborough or Arbury Camp. The earthwork was formerly around 100 metres in length, though its western half (extending into
Impington) was no longer visible by the start of the 19th century.
It is thought to have been an undefended
Iron Age enclosure to protect animals from predators.
In medieval times, the area was common land, and local peasants were permitted to graze their sheep on the meadow between
Lammas and
Lady Day. In the 17th and 18th centuries the meadows were dug for earth to make bricks.
Arbury was historically part of the
parishes
A parish is a territorial entity in many Christian denominations, constituting a division within a diocese. A parish is under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of a priest, often termed a parish priest, who might be assisted by one or m ...
of Chesterton and Impington. The area was developed by
Cambridge City Council from 1957 as a
housing estate of around 100 acres.
Electoral ward boundaries have changed substantially over the years and continue to do so. As a result, much of what was originally in Arbury Ward is now in Kings Hedges Ward, including the northern part of the original Arbury estate along with community facilities such as Arbury Community Centre. The ward system in Arbury has little to do with historical facts - and re-warding has seen large areas placed in 'Arbury Ward' which have nothing to do with the original estate or the area's history - including Stretten Avenue, and Garden Walk. In the 're-warding' by Cambridge City Council in 2021, Arbury Ward 'Lost the Chesterton triangle, gained Garden Walk, Warwick Road area and Arbury Court'.
Local life
The community is served by the Church of the Good Shepherd, a red brick church designed by
Stephen Dykes Bower
Stephen Ernest Dykes Bower (18 April 1903 – 11 November 1994) was a British church architect and Gothic Revival designer best known for his work at Westminster Abbey, Bury St Edmunds Cathedral and the Chapel at Lancing College. As an architect ...
. The chancel was built in 1958 and the nave in 1963–4. Opened in 1963, it became the parish church of its own parish in 1969. The Arbury community centre opened in 1974, which is also home to the Arbury Community Church.
The Roman Catholic community of Arbury worship at
St Laurence's church St. Laurence's Church, Saint Lawrence's Church, or ''variations'' on those names or spellings, may refer to:
Australia
* Christ Church St Laurence, Sydney
Austria
* Basilica of St. Lawrence, Enns
Czech Republic
* Church of St. Lawrence, Roman ...
in Milton Road.
Arbury Court houses a post office, library, supermarket and other local shops. The Carlton Arms public house lies on Carlton Way, which follows the route of the Roman
Akeman Street. Crime rates are lower here than in many parts of central Cambridge.
Police.uk crime map
References
{{Cambridge electoral wards
Geography of Cambridge
Wards of Cambridge
