Arbury

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Arbury
Cambridgeshire
Church of the Good Shepherd Arbury Cambridge.JPG
Church of the Good Shepherd
Location
Grid reference: TL457611
Location: 52°13’44"N, 0°7’59"E
Data
Post town: Cambridge
Postcode: CB4
Dialling code: 01223
Local Government
Council: Cambridge
Parliamentary
constituency:
Cambridge

Arbury is a village in Cambridgeshire which has become an integrated part of the northern developments of Cambridge. Arbury borders and s contiguous with, King's Hedges and West Chesterton, bordering too on the parts of the city by the river. The village of Histon abuts it too.

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.[1] In thew Middle Ages 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 Camp by the 13th century. This later corrupted to Arborough and then Arbury. The earthwork was formerly around 100 yards long, though its western half (extending into Impington) was no longer visible by the start of the 19th century.[2] It is thought to have been an undefended Iron Age enclosure to protect animals from predators.[3]

In the Middle Ages 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.[2]

Arbury was historically part of the parish of Chesterton, the area was developed by Cambridge City Council from 1957 as a housing estate of around 100 acres.[2]

Local life

The community is served by the Church of the Good Shepherd,[4] a red brick church designed by Stephen Dykes Bower. 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.[2][5]

The Roman Catholic community of Arbury worship at St Laurence's church in Milton Road.

Arbury Court houses a post office, library, supermarket and other local shops. The Carlton Arms public house lies on Carlton Way,[6] which follows the route of the Roman Akeman Street. Not all areas of Cambridge are as prosperous as many believe and Arbury is an example of a lower income neighbourhood. Crime rates however are lower here than in many parts of central Cambridge.[7]

References