The Ely Cathedral

Ely Cathedral is an incredible masterpiece of the English art and architecture. Standing with all its
majesty and grandeur, Ely Cathedral holds a very special place in the hearts of Christians around the
globe. The building gives a glimpse into the rich cultural and art history of England. It is formally called
the Cathedral Church of the Holy and Undivided Trinity, while the locals call it “the ship of the Fens”.
The earliest form of Ely Cathedral came into existence when St Etheldreda constructed an abbey
church in the year 672 AD. The present building was built in the year 1083, and it was called the
Church of St Etheldreda and St Peter. The Church was given the status of the Cathedral in 1109. It was
also renamed as the Cathedral Church of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Ely. Currently, the
Cathedral is acting as the seat of the Bishop of Ely and a suffragan bishop, the Bishop of Huntingdon.
Ely Cathedral is an architectural masterpiece. It is known for its perfect scale and classic details.
Originally, the whole building was constructed in a mesmerizing Romanesque style. However, the
galilee porch, lady chapel, and choir were reformed and reconstructed in the classic Gothic style. The
most unique feature of the Cathedral is the central octagonal tower, which has a lantern above. This
structural design provide a unique internal space inside the building and also dominates the
surrounding landscape.
The West Tower along with the two western transepts were added to the main design of the
cathedral by Bishop Geoffrey Ridel between 1174 to 1189. The main purpose behind this addition was
to make the west front exuberant. He also made it possible to richly decorate the the West Tower
with intersecting arches and complex mouldings. One of the main problem faced during its
construction of the West Tower was correcting the issue of soft ground at the western end of the
Cathedral. To cope with the problem, four new arches were added to the west crossing to strengthen
the tower.
The Galilee Porch acts as a main entrance for the visitors to enter the Cathedral. It is said that in the
ancient times, the Porch functioned as a chapel for the penitents. The monks also used to discuss
business issues with the women of the surrounding locality, who were not permitted inside the
church. Some sources also suggest that the purpose of this Porch was also providing support to the
the West Tower. The exact date of the construction of the West Tower is not known. According to the
available records, it was somewhere built during the period of Bishop Eustace.
Lady Chapel was built in 1321 under the supervision of Alan of Wasingham. The lady Chapel is
approximately 30 m long and it has a width of 14 m. The construction of Lady Chapel was slowed by
financial constraints. However, it was completed after the main Church was built. The North and
South wall of the Lady Chapel have Five bays each. There are also large traceried windows in the w alls
which are separated by pillars.
The central octagonal tower that is regarded as the most beautiful part of the structure of the
building was not actually the part of the plan. A tower was meant to be built in its place. While
building the tower of the Chapel, the Norman central crossing tower collapsed. The work on the
Chapel Tower was stopped. Later, the idea of creating high tower was abandoned and instead the
octagonal structure was built.
Chantry Chapels were built on the easternmost bays of the presbytery aisles in the later half of fifteen
century. The construction process was supervised by Bishop John Alcock. John Alcock was born in the
house of a Hull merchant who by his hard work and dedication reach to a very high place both in the
royal court and the church. When he was appointed as the Bishop of Aly, he built built the chantry
chapels for his residence. He instructed the masons and artisans to design the structure of the chantry
chapel in an ornate style. The beauty and majesty of the Chantry Chapels are dimmed by the weather
and human intervention. However, it is still a worthy place to visit.
The Cathedral is constructed from a special type of stone which were brought from Barnack in
Northamtonshire. The decorative elements of the Church are made from Purbeck Marble and local
clunch. The structure of the building is designed such that it resembles a cross. However, there is an
additional transept at the western end of the design. The total length of Ely Cathedral is around 164
meter. Out of the 164 meters, 75 meters make the nave of the Cathedral. The mesmerizing Octagonal
shaped “Lantern Tower” has a width of 23 m and its height is 52 m. The lantern on the inside has a
height of 43 m from the floor to the central roof boss.
Ely Cathedral has a pre-Norman history of nearly 400 years. Refoundation in 970 AD further increased
its religious and cultural significance. The cathedral is graced by famous saints, and the books of
highest order has been produced here. The collection of books in the library of Ely Cathedral is only
surpassed by the Glastonbury.
The Cathedral has six professional clerks who pray and sing in the Cathedral everyday along with boys
choristers with ages from seven to thirteen. There is also an Ely Cathedral Girls’ Choir which consists
of girls between the age of 13 to 18. The girls’ group sings on Monday and Wednesday every week.
Ely Cathedral is one of the most important visiting site for the followers of Christianity. Every year
hundreds and thousands of the Christian pilgrims visit the Ely Cathedral. It is equally popular among
tourists from other religions. It has been estimated that Ely Cathedral receive approximately 250000
tourists and pilgrims each year. The Cathedral provides a regular morning and evening services each
day.