Ely

[puddleshark]

The lantern of the 14th century octagon tower of Ely Cathedral.

The octagon was rebuilt by sacrist Alan of Walsingham between 1322 and 1328 after the collapse of the original nave crossing on 22 February 1322. Ely's octagon is considered "one of the wonders of the medieval world". Architectural historian Nikolaus Pevsner believes the octagon "is a delight from beginning to end for anyone who feels for space as strongly as for construction" and is the "greatest individual achievement of architectural genius at Ely Cathedral"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ely,_Cambridgeshire

My brother joked that even I would be unable to get lost on my way to Ely. And he was right. Following the main road to Ely, the towers of the cathedral are visible for miles, the only landmark in a vast flat landscape.



Ely is thought by some to come from the Anglo-Saxon 'Eilig' - the Isle of Eels (and this seems the most logical etymology, though argument rages on Wikipedia). And before the Fens were drained in the 17th century, Ely really was an island, accessible only by boat.

Saint Etheldreda, daughter of King Anna... was a queen, founder and abbess of Ely. She built a monastery in 673 AD, on the site of what is now Ely Cathedral. This first abbey was destroyed in 870 by Danish invaders and rededicated to Etheldreda in 970 by Ethelwold, Bishop of Winchester. The abbots of Ely then accumulated such wealth in the region that in the Domesday survey (1086) it was the "second richest monastery in England".

The first Norman bishop, Simeon, started building the cathedral in 1083... Building continued until the dissolution of the abbey in 1539 during the Reformation. The cathedral was sympathetically restored between 1845 and 1870 by the architect George Gilbert Scott.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ely,_Cambridgeshire

Not sure I agree with the "sympathetically restored". George Gilbert Scott is quite an acquired taste. But his painted ceilings are a very, very long way up, and distance lends enchantment.

Anyway, have some pictures, and I apologise for the quality. I was shooting handheld at high ISO, so some of the pictures are a bit grainy.


West Tower, built 1174 -1197.


The nave, c. 1120. Even to the modern visitor, the dimensions take your breath away. How must it have seemed to a medieval pilgrim?










South Transept. Mid 15th century hammerbeam roof.




Choir Screen. I am unable to find out whether this is original or restored. The carved figures look a bit George Gilbert Scott-ish.


Presbytery.





My visit coincided with an exhibition of contemporary sculpture, 'Am I My Brother's Keeper?' by Sean Henry. And to see his quietly desperate, weary figures where normally there would be saints and effigies of the great... It was an impressive, thought-provoking piece of curation.


















***

Ely might have been my favourite place on this trip, except that I didn't get to take tea at the 13th century Almonry restaurant after my visit to the cathedral (because it was lunchtime, and Ely was absolutely heaving with visitors, and there was a long queue). And no visit can ever be complete without tea. Never underestimate the importance of tea.

So after a visit to the stained glass museum (pictures to follow another day), I went for a wander round the city. (Well, technically it is a city - it has a cathedral! - but actually it's the second smallest city in the UK. More of a small town really.)


St Mary's Cottage.





The city of Ely mostly wears a Georgian face these days, though this can be deceptive. Apparently in the 18th century it was fashionable to add a classical facade to an older building. (The house above looks Georgian at first glance, but the facade is suspiciously curved. I wouldn't be surprised if an earlier building were hiding behind).


Blue plaque.






Narrowboats and riverside pubs along the Great Ouse.

I didn't visit the museum at Oliver Cromwell's house, because it had some scary life-sized plastic models of puritans outside.

Comments

[heleninwales]

The only part of Ely I've ever seen is Ely station. We decided that Ely station in January is one of the coldest places on earth. Well, it certainly felt like it.

Apparently in the 18th century it was fashionable to add a classical facade to an older building.

Many years ago we were wardens of the Youth Hostel in Crickhowell. It was ostensibly Georgian, but I think this is what had been done to a much older building. There was a cellar below the cellar which had medieval stone vaulting and was likely part of the Castle which was right next door. In fact there was a small ruined tower in the garden. As we left that hostel to move to North Wales, the building was becoming unsound due to the front threatening to fall off. It was sold to a developer who had more money than the YHA and is now apartments.

[puddleshark]

I can imagine that Ely is bitter in winter when the east wind is blowing. It is the only high ground for miles and miles and miles.

I hadn't really thought about it before, because the Dorset towns that are uniformly Georgian in architecture were all rebuilt in the 18th century following disastrous fires. But I suppose there must be a lot of earlier buildings that didn't burn down, but were Georgianised to keep up with the neighbours.

[nikonf3]

That is so beautiful! Are you allowed to lie on the floor while viewing the ceiling? The modern sculpture is amazing in that setting too.

[puddleshark]

It is a breathtaking building. My photos don't begin to do it justice.

I've visited other cathedrals where there are mirrors placed to enable you to view the ceiling without cricking your neck, but I didn't see any at Ely. I wouldn't have dared lie down, as there were so many visitors wandering around, but I did place the camera on a chair a couple of times to take long exposure shots straight upwards.

The sculptures were amazing. The way they had been placed in niches that once would have held polychrome statues of saints... It just felt right.