The perfect trip from Cambridge, we spent the afternoon in Ely – with no visit to the Cathedral city complete without visiting the gothically imposing Ely Cathedral that rises from the surrounding fens, perched on the hill of Ely.
Ely Cathedral is breathtaking, rendering visitors speechless at it’s scale and intricacy. I have a thing for cathedrals and religious architecture – I think it’s the complexity and nuance of the messaging contained often within what could be mundane structures: windows, pillars etc. The present Cathedral dates back to 1083, with an Abbey church originally being built on the site as early as 672AD.
Ely Cathedral is open daily (take care to note when events and services are on and be respectful) – as it was a breezy and damp Friday afternoon in March we found the Cathedral quiet with no wait to enter, however it is advised to prebook your tickets.
Friday afternoons are organ practice so whilst (beautifully) noisy at times we were treated to the most delightful sounds as we wandered round. The cathedral unlike may of its’s counterparts in bigger cities isn’t full of crowds, meaning your visit is leisurely and let’s face it: much more enjoyable.
Self-styled as a medieval engineering masterpiece, the description is perhaps the best that could be said about Ely Cathedral – if you can look past the stained glass windows that are some of the best examples (from the Victorian period) with immense intricacy, the marble carvings that are more lifelike than any selfie could every hope to be – what you see is an engineering feat that is magnificent both on a level of scale and complexity. The nave is, well I’ll leave the words to you…
As always I’m fascinated by graffiti, not the kind you see tagged on the side of a bus stop but the worn away type -medieval in this instance – that tells a story of the people who lived our their lives within the cathedral.
This lesser known Cathedral may be off the beaten track but is no less when it comes to beauty and awe. A truly worthwhile addition to a visit to Cambridgeshire and one definitely not to be overlooked.
Tickets and tours can been be booked online ahead of your visit.
