Ely Cathedral

Additional Features

Cathedral
Religous History
Cathedral
Tours Available
Ceremony and Reception
Wedding Venue

Description

History of the Cathedral

The story of Ely Cathedral begins in Saxon Times with the life of its founder, St. Etheldreda, a Saxon princess born in AD630 at Exning near Newmarket.

Etheldreda knew that God had called her to the religious life. For political reasons she was forced to marry twice, but keeping her vocation in mind, she maintained her virginity which was highly prized in early Christian times. Her first husband gave her the Island of Ely.

Eventually her second husband released Etheldreda from her marriage vows. She fled to the Isle of Ely where, in 673, she founded a double monastery for monks and nuns on the site of the present Cathedral and was installed as the first Abbess.

Etheldreda died on 23 June 679 of a throat tumour and was buried in the grounds of her monastery. On 17 October 695 her tomb was opened and her body was moved into the Saxon church. The historian Bede tells us that her body was found to be well preserved with the tumour healed.

Etheldreda's monastery flourished for 200 years until it was destroyed by the Danes. It was refounded as a Benedictine community in 970.

For centuries, Etheldreda's shrine was the focus for vast numbers of medieval pilgrims. The Shrine was also destroyed at the Reformation but a slate in the Cathedral marks the spot where it stood, and the 23 June and 17 October are still kept as major festivals in the Cathedral.

Work on the present Cathedral began in the 11th century under the leadership of Abbot Simeon, and the monastic church became a cathedral in 1109 with the Diocese of Ely being carved out of the Diocese of Lincoln. The monastery at Ely was dissolved by Henry VIII in 1539. Ely suffered less than many other monasteries, but even so, statues were destroyed together with carvings and stained glass. St Etheldreda's Shrine was destroyed.

The Cathedral was refounded with a Chapter of eight canons in 1541 as was the Kings School.
Robert Steward, the last Prior of the monastery, became the first Dean.

The first major restoration took place in the 18th Century under James Essex. With the arrival of Dean George Peacock in 1839 a second restoration project began. Together with the architect Sir George Gilbert Scott, he restored the building to its former glory.

A third major restoration project, the most extensive to date, was begun in 1986 and was completed in the year 2000.

Cathedral Opening Times

Summer
7.00am-7.00pm

Winter
7.30am-6.00pm (Monday-Saturday)
7.30am-5.00pm (Sunday)

Cathedral Services

Sundays
8.15am, 10.30am and 4.00pm

Weekdays
7.40am, 8.00am, 12 noon, 12.10pm and 5.30pm

Admission Charges

It costs over £1m a year - £3,000 a day to keep the Cathedral open. Visitors are therefore asked to pay the following:

Adults
£5.20 (Concessions £4.50)

Pre-booked Group of 15 adults or more
£4.80 (Concessions £4.30)

Children under 12
Free in a family group.

Admission to the Cathedral on Sundays is free.