Ely Cathedral — Attraction in East Cambridgeshire

Travelled from Norwich to take architect photographs as I usually do of cathedrals.

Was told I had to pay £14 entry then an additional £2 just to use my tripod.

The day started going ok until the clergy decided he was going to challenge me about taking photos.

Wanted me to show him my camera images because there was a choir there.

I explained I wasn’t interested in the choir. However he kept going on and on, and was rude and disrespectful.

Then asked for my name, website details, and was very patronising.

Once he’d finished, the Roar choir film producer who he never challenged and was actually filming the damn choir decided to film me and began challenging me about taking photos of children (which I wasn’t) then claimed it was ‘creepy’ among other things.

I asked for a refund after her attitude and total lack of photography understanding eventually irritated me along with the clergy.

She then ran to her superiors claiming I was scaring her despite the fact she came up to me, and made the conversation.

I won’t be returning. Staff need education about photography and laws along with customer service. Staff need to stop pestering photographers unless they actually see them doing something wrong.

Hundreds of people there today who were actually photographing the choir but I was the only one he and the charity seemed to single out.

The charity were rude and obnoxious when I asked for their contact details to forward to my legal team should I find the woman that filmed me slandered and defamed me online. One of the guys was also somewhat ‘threatening’ in his language, though pathetically immature.

This behaviour today was unacceptable, childish, disgusting and totally unprofessional.

If you want 100 percent expectation to privacy then stay indoors. Coincidentally when asked if there was CCTV footage that I could obtain as required under GDPR the clergy said there wasn’t any despite having cameras pointed at me.

Interesting that. Very interesting!

Cathedral on the outside is filfty and not photogenic. Inside is nice and what I wanted to see. Most staff seem nice. The remainder are arrogant, rude and disrespectful towards paying clients.

Hatred towards photographers, especially male togs is becoming common. Never in the decades of shooting have I been treated with...

Our visit to Ely Cathedral was nothing short of awe-inspiring. Known as the “Ship of the Fens” due to its prominent silhouette rising above the flat surrounding landscape, this magnificent structure offers a profound glimpse into England’s rich ecclesiastical history.

Historical Significance

Ely Cathedral’s origins trace back to AD 673 when St. Etheldreda founded an abbey church on this site. The present building dates from 1083 and was elevated to cathedral status in 1109.  Its architecture is a harmonious blend of Romanesque and Gothic styles, with the Norman nave being among the longest in England, adorned by a remarkable 19th-century painted ceiling. 

One of the cathedral’s most striking features is the central octagon tower, a masterpiece of medieval engineering. Following the collapse of the original tower in 1322, master mason Alan of Walsingham conceived this unique structure, which remains a testament to innovative design. 

Visitor Experience

The cathedral welcomes visitors Monday through Saturday from 10 am to 4 pm, and on Sundays from 12 noon to 3 pm.  Admission is £14 for adults, while children under 16 enjoy free entry when accompanied by a family member.  We recommend checking the cathedral’s official website for any changes to opening hours before planning your visit.

For those interested in exploring further, the cathedral offers various tours, including the Octagon Tower Tour and the West Tower Experience. Pre-booking is advised due to limited availability. 

The Stained Glass Museum

Within the cathedral lies the Stained Glass Museum, a hidden gem showcasing an exquisite collection of stained glass art. Admission to the museum is £6 for adults, with free entry for children under 16. 

Final Thoughts

Ely Cathedral is not just a building; it’s a journey through centuries of history, art, and spirituality. Whether you’re an architecture enthusiast, a history buff, or someone seeking a moment of reflection, this cathedral offers an experience that lingers long after you’ve left its...

Established by St Ethelreda local princess and Queen of Northumberland, later nun and Abbess, Ely Cathedral was once a thriving benedictine monastic community until Henry VIII dissolved all monastic communities in the period 1555 - 1540 to fund his split from Rome and various follies. A consequence of the act was the destruction like that of St Thomas of Canterbury Shrine the Shrine of St Ethelreda. All that is left is a slate stone marker near the high altar and choir. The Catholic Church in Ely holds a major relic of the saint and is worth the additional walk to be in the saints presence there. An Ordination rite was due to occur the evening of the day i visited. Worth seeing are the tapestries of the creation either side of teh nave which do not obstruct seeing the in place stain glass windows. By the Galiee enterence by the shop is a sculpture by the German artist Hans Feibusch of the post Resurrection Christ with wounds in his hands and chest. Off interest is the ability to see the full length of the nave from the West door through the Choir to the East, without that view being broken by a rood screen. Ely has the largest Lady Chapel of any English abbey/Cathedral (through the image of the blond haired Mary with arms up stretched may be an acquired taste). The chapel like other areas shows of the cathedral shows the violence of the reformation in its decapitation of images and chisel or pointed instrument marks on the walls. A visit to Ely Cathedral is very worthwhile - printing the bar coded ticket may be helpful as the volunteer had difficulty in reading my ticket...