Exterior of the octagon dome at Ely Cathedral.
Ely is still one of those towns that seems to have avoided the tourist onslaught that afflicts other parts of Britain. However, its magnificent cathedral gives the traveler a worthy reason to plan a day trip from London. When taking a train from London (Liverpool St. Station), do not take the train which ends up in Ely. That train takes you to Ipswich first and then to Ely. Instead, take the train to King's Lynn. That train stops in Ely and is two hours faster than the Ely route. Plus, it runs more frequently than the other line. Cost on the King's Lynn train with stops in Cambridge and Ely is £12.80.
Stained glass inside of Ely Cathedral.
Ely Cathedral - On a hill overlooking the town and the Fens is Ely Cathedral, which gets my vote as the best cathedral in Britain. It costs £3 (£1.80 if you're a student or a senior citizen). The Norman nave and choir are reason enough to visit the Cathedral. However, it's the octagon dome that elevates this cathedral above the others. This amazing structure, with its picture of Christ staring down from the center, gives the visitor a vivid reminder of the mission behind the Church. Ely also shows the scars of damage created by Cromwell's troops. It's rather ironic that troops under his command would cause such damage, considering he lived in Ely before he took power. Perhaps he never forgot or forgave having to sit through long winded sermons. There are octagon dome tours during the summer (when it's dry), as well as roof tours. Dome and roof tours are conducted every hour and a half, beginning at 10 a.m with the last tour at 4 p.m. Also, try to time your visit with a performance by the Ely choir. The sound of the voices echoing off of the stone will convince you there is a God.
Places to Eat - We ate at the Steeplegate Tearooms just north
of the Cathedral. They serve light lunches (including a wonderful vegetarian
lasagne) at prices up to £3.20. Lunch is served until 3 p.m.
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