Ely Cathedral

Ely Cathedral

I went to Cambridgeshire for a long weekend and I spent in the first day and night in the charming city of Ely.

Ely city

Ely cathedral

Approaching Ely Cathedral

So naturally the first port of call was the beautiful Ely Cathedral!

Ely Cathedral

There has been a church in Ely ever since Christianity first came to England, although not much is known about this original church.

Ely cathedral

Ely Cathedral was founded in AD 673 but its history begins a bit before that…

Ely Cathedral

The story is centered on a Saxon princess and her desire to enter religious life.

Ely Cathedral

Etheldreda was daughter of the King of East Angles, and like her father she became an ardent Christian. She always felt that religion was her calling, but for political reasons she married Tonbert, who gave her the land and royal rights to the Isle of Ely, and after his death, to Egfrid, heir to the kingdom of Northumbria. But her marriage to Egfrid was unhappy and after 12 years she managed to get his consent to retire to a convent to become a nun.

Ely Cathedral inside

She founded a double monastery for men and women and it flourished for 200 years before it was destroyed by the Vikings when they invaded England in 869.

Ely Cathedral inside

Ethedreda was acknowledged as a saint and Ely became a place of pilgrimage.

Ely Cathedral

It’s a wonderful place to visit…

Ely Cathedral

Especially with a camera!

Inside Ely Cathedral

Inside Ely Cathedral

Ely Cathedral history

Ely Cathedral

Ely Cathedral inside

Ely Cathedral

Ely Cathedral

Ely Cathedral roof

Ely Cathedral inside

Ely Cathedral

Ely Cathedral window

Ely Cathedral

Ely cathedral inside

You can climb up to the top of the cathedral to admire the commanding views of Ely.

Ely Cathedral view

Back inside I went into The Lady Chapel.

The Lady Chapel Ely Cathedral

A space filled with light flooding in from every window.

The Lady Chapel Ely Cathedral

The acoustics are particularly impressive in here: I sneezed and the sound echoed for a very long time (thanks, hay fever!)

The Lady Chapel Ely Cathedral

Ely Cathedral visit

Ely Cathedral

Ely Cathedral

Ely Cathedral

After a few hours of exploring the cathedral we headed back to the hotel, the Poets House Hotel (following an adorable family of ducklings!)

Ely cathedral green

Which, rather conveniently, was located directly opposite Ely Cathedral!

Poets House Hotel Ely

Ely Poets House review

Our room suite was very large…

Poets House Rooms

With an elegant copper slipper bath in the bedroom (this is how heartfelt bathroom mood-boarding starts, isn’t it?)

Poets House review

And the biggest shower I’ve ever seen.

Poets House Ely review  Ely Poets House review

Room with a view…

Poets House Ely view

Sorry, I meant bath with a view!

Poets House hotel bathroom

View from Poets House Hotel
Panoramic view from Poets House Hotel

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