If you’ve been following my travel blog, you might remember that during a trip to Ely, we did walk around and even inside the cathedral there. At the time, there was a service, so we weren’t allowed to explore as we wished.(https://lldiamondwrites.com/2015/01/03/arrival-in-the-uk-and-ely/) Recently, we made a return trip and paid the admission to go inside the cathedral, which is stunning!
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- View down centre of cathedral
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- Columned wall near the entry
The interior of the cathedral is not just a simple church. There are several chapels, ornate crypts, and incredible ceilings to take your breath away.
Upon entering, there is an entry and the breathtaking view down the centre aisle toward the altar, but that is not all. To the side there are amazingly detailed walls of columns, and when you walk up the aisle, you find the altar is overset by another incredible ceiling.
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- ceiling over the altar
The chapels to the front have incredible detailed walls and ceilings. Each has it’s own character and slightly different look, despite being in the same building. In a way, the chapels are rather incongruous to the rest of the structure. With the smaller detail work of the walls.
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- ceiling of smaller chapel
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- Detail work in small chapel
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- Ceiling of the ladies chapel
I can only say that if you find yourself near the cathedral, it is certainly worth the price of admission!
L.L. Diamond 
Wow! What incredible craftsmanship! Would like to see it in person. Jen
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It’s worth the trip, Jen! It’s also an easy train ride from London to Ely and within walking distance of the train station. (I discovered that recently!) 🙂
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The workers would never see it finished. The lacy stuff inside the diamonds on the ceiling is marvelous! It’s hard to see–is it stonework, too, or painted? Every time I see a cathedral like this, I’m awed by the unmortared joints, too! The work was so precise, it fit together like a puzzle, and the loads fanned out and transferred along the ribs. They determined the angles, sizes and counteracting mass of the structure by experience, not by application of vectors, calculus, or sample testing like today. Trial and error left some in rubble and others, like Ely, tall and strong for centuries. Mind boggling.
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I hear engineer speak! LOL! The lacy stuff is stonework. The walls of the smaller chapels are covered in lacy looking stonework. I was amazed with the intricacy and delicacy! Unfortunately, some the delicate stonework on the walls has done a bit of crumbling, but it’s still amazing. One gentleman here said he preferred Ely Cathedral to Notre Dame. Now, I want to make the comparison myself! Thanks, Suzan!
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Agreed! Ely Cathedral knocks spots off Notre Dame! There is an airyness and lightness about Ely whereas Notre Dame is darkly Gothic in my memory. From what I can remember, the richly decorated churches of East Anglia reflect the wealth from the Wool Trade. My daughter has recently visited Aachen Cathedral which she describes as totally awesome.
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I know Lavenham was rich from the wool trade, so it would stand to reason that Ely had some of that wealth as well. I will have to look up Aachen Cathedral. I enjoy just going inside the local churches and the cathedrals are amazing. Thanks, Lizzie!
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