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 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 Harborough 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. As a result, much of what was originally in Arbury Ward is now in Kings Hedges Ward. This ward was formed out of the northern area of the original Arbury Ward, and includes the northern part of the original Arbury estate along with community facilities such as Arbury Community Centre. The ward system in the Arbury district 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'. In 1980, local primary schools took part in a project called 'Arbury 1980' - which traced the history of the district back to the iron age and resulted in the 1981 book 'Arbury Is Where We Live!' ==Local life==