The original King's Hedges - and the original end of King's Hedges Road, disappearing into the original King's Hedges. How things have changed! Amazing what council planners' whims, plus extending a road and setting it on a course across Arbury can do, isn't it? VROOM! VROOM! Click on image for larger view - we've marked the train's location on our 1900 map. Local history researcher Jim, a good friend of the Arbury Blog, recently pointed us to a BFI film made by Edward Thorp of Leigh On Sea, who had a hobby of filming rail routes at weekends, accompanied by his wife, Edna, and their dog, Mickey. On one occasion, Mr Thorp recorded the shortly-to-close Cambridge to St Ives route. Much treasure there for Cambridge historians, including a sweep by King's Hedges. Yes, the original King's Hedges, the original fifty eight acre farm, north of the rail tracks (now guided busway) and now split in two by the motorway. Council plans were already in hand to exten...
Is Arbury simply an electoral ward in the university city of Cambridge, the boundaries of which are arbitrarily redefined by Council planners whenever they choose? Or is it an area with a history of its own? We've studied Arbury, North and South, its prehistoric origins, Roman times, the old farms, the early housing estate and right up to date. We cover the original area, from Carlton Way to King's Hedges Road.