King's Hedges
Encyclopedia
King's Hedges is an electoral ward in the north of the city of Cambridge
, England
.
The name is believed to derive from the fact that it is on the site of the ancient King's warren, or game preserve, where hedges were grown to direct the animals into areas where the hunters could easily catch or kill them.
The estate was planned around cycling and walking routes which provide direct paths through the area. This encourages people to travel without cars within the estate. King's Hedges provides the best example of such development in Cambridge. The success of the King's Hedges design has not been replicated in newer developments which revert to car-centric design.
In 2005 the adjacent Orchard Park
— previously known as Arbury Park - was begun. There is a guided bus route currently being built that will serve Orchard Park. Orchard Park is not within the ward of King's Hedges, but in fact lies outside the city boundaries in South Cambridgeshire.
The area has good bus and road connections to the centre of Cambridge as well as ready access to the outskirts and the A14 trunk road. It is home to the Cambridge Regional College
further education college, as well as a number of local pubs and shops, and the Cambridge Science Park
is adjacent to the ward.
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
History
The open land to the north of Cambridge that now comprises King's Hedges was known as Albrach from as early as the 13th century. In 1558 it was agreed that Richard Brakyn could inclose all 34 acres of Albrach, following which it was renamed Kings Hedges (without an apostrophe, which was introduced into English in the sixteenth century in imitation of French practice.).The name is believed to derive from the fact that it is on the site of the ancient King's warren, or game preserve, where hedges were grown to direct the animals into areas where the hunters could easily catch or kill them.
Development
Development of the King's Hedges estate to the north west of Campkin Road began in 1967, and by 1986 a total of 1570 households had been built on the 125 acre site, largely in blocks of three and four storeys, and reaching the city limits. These council estates were occupied predominantly by families removed from older parts of the city, and there were initially numerous complaints of vandalism and about the lack of community facilities.The estate was planned around cycling and walking routes which provide direct paths through the area. This encourages people to travel without cars within the estate. King's Hedges provides the best example of such development in Cambridge. The success of the King's Hedges design has not been replicated in newer developments which revert to car-centric design.
In 2005 the adjacent Orchard Park
Orchard Park, Cambridgeshire
Orchard Park, previously known as Arbury Park and before that Arbury Camp, is a district and civil parish of South Cambridgeshire, England, contiguous with the city of Cambridge...
— previously known as Arbury Park - was begun. There is a guided bus route currently being built that will serve Orchard Park. Orchard Park is not within the ward of King's Hedges, but in fact lies outside the city boundaries in South Cambridgeshire.
Local life
The ward has primary schools - King's Hedges Primary School (built 1967-9) and The Grove Primary School (1963) and three public houses (The Ship, The Jenny Wren and Golden Hind).The area has good bus and road connections to the centre of Cambridge as well as ready access to the outskirts and the A14 trunk road. It is home to the Cambridge Regional College
Cambridge Regional College
Cambridge Regional College is a college of further education located in Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England.-College profile:The college, which has some of the best facilities in the country after a £23 million development programme, is a centre of vocational excellence offering courses in a wide...
further education college, as well as a number of local pubs and shops, and the Cambridge Science Park
Cambridge Science Park
The Cambridge Science Park, founded by Trinity College in 1970, is the oldest science park in the United Kingdom. It is a concentration of science and technology related businesses, and has strong links with the nearby University of Cambridge....
is adjacent to the ward.
