The Bourn Brook forms its northern boundary with Comberton, and its western border with Little Eversden mostly follows the Roman Road (now the A603).

In 1938 the Air Ministry took land south-east of the Roman Road for an ammunition dump with new sidings added to the railway line.

It closed in 1955 and in 1957 the Cavendish Laboratory of Cambridge University built the Mullard Radio Astronomy Observatory there.

The land was bought from the Ministry of Defence in 1971 and the section of the railway line there was used to carry a number of mobile radio telescope dishes.

[3] Listed as Herletone in the Domesday Book of 1086 the village's name means "farmstead of a man called Herela".

[5] The parish church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary was built to replace an earlier building in the late 14th century.

It is believed the wood block print by Raverat, 'Harvest Feast' was based on The Manor Barn in Harlton.