The district was know as the Isle of Ely, since before the draining
of the marshlands (called the Fens) the area around Ely was water.
During the Saxon era, the Isle of Ely was assigned to the virgin queen
St. Etheldreda as a dowry. She established a monastic house in 673;
the monastery early recorded the presence of her relics, miraculously free
from corruption. The abbey and the Isle of Ely made a significant
stand against the forces of William the conqueror in 1066. Thus for
the Norman conquerors, the site had considerable historic and material
importance, and after a time of sanctions against the monks, important
rebuilding commenced. Under the abbacy of Simeon (1081-1093) the
foundations of the Norman choir were laid out and most of the church was
completed by the mid 12th century.
English cathedrals were invariably monasteries and cathedrals, that
is, they housed monks who were headed by an abbot or prior, as well housing
the office of the bishop who administered a diocese. The first bishop
of Ely was consecrated in 1109. A western porch called a "Galilee
Porch" was added between 1198 and 1215. The next significant change
was the construction of a retrochoir of six bays, completed in 1252 in
the Early English style, built to the east of the old Norman apse.
The Decorated phase of the cathedral began with the foundation of the Lady
chapel in 1321, followed a year later by the collapse of the Norman crossing
tower. The crossing was rebuilt in the great octagon, often described
as a Gothic dome, completed by 1342. The three bays of the choir,
the area immediately to the east of the crossing, with their vaults were
also reconstructed during this campaign.
ECx1 Ely Cathedral, view from the south, after W. D. Sweeting, The Cathedral Church of Ely (London: George Bell & Sons, 1901)
ECx2 Ely Cathedral, plan, after W. D. Sweeting, The Cathedral Church of Ely (London: George Bell & Sons, 1901)
EC1 Ely Cathedral, View of nave looking towards the west. before 1150 (Normal style)
EC2 Ely Cathedral, View of nave, north side before 1150 (Normal style)
EC3 Ely Cathedral, crossing, 1322-40 (Decorated style)
EC4 Ely Cathedral, choir screen from crossing (Oak choir screen by Sir Gilbert Scott 1850-60s)
EC5 Ely Cathedral, Retro choir, 1240-1252 (Early English style)
EC5a Ely Cathedral, Retro choir, 1240-1252, and shrine of St. Etheldreda, the Saxon queen and founder, after W. D. Sweeting, The Cathedral Church of Ely (London: George Bell & Sons, 1901)
EC6 Ely Cathedral, vaulting in choir 1340 (decorated style) and retrochoir 1240-52 (Early English style)
EC7 Ely Cathedral, detail of capitals (decorated style) in choir 1330s-40s.
EC8 Ely Cathedral, detail of carving (decorated style) in choir 1330s-40s.
Lady Chapel (24 slides) The building was begun in 1321 under the
supervision of Alan de Walsingham, the sub-prior, afterwards sacrist.
The carving is some of the most elaborate of the period.
The stained glass is precious; the scanty remains from four windows
(sII, sIII, sIV , nII) have all been collected in the upper portions of
a south window. Angel musicians fill the tracery and in the lancet
heads, amidst elaborate architectural niches, stand small figures of knights
and peasants. The side borders show chalices with the hosts inscribed IHC.
The order is similar to the elaborate architectural depiction in the sepulchral
brasses, such as that of Robert Braunche with both Letitia, first, and
Margaret, second wife, 1364, in St. Margaret's of King's Lynn.
Two windows had been glazed by the time of the death of John of Wisebech,
the monk in charge of the work. In 1356-59 Simon de Lenne (King's
Lynn) was paid for a window donated by John of Gaunt The glass painters
responsible for the glass appear to have been resident in eastern England
where other windows show a similar style. (see R. Marks, Stained Glass
in England during the Middle Ages, 159-160, pl. XVII)
EC9 Ely Cathedral, Lady Chapel 1321-40s, west facade with north transept of cathedral.
EC10 Ely Cathedral, Lady Chapel 1321-40s, west facade
EC10a Ely Cathedral, Lady Chapel 1321-40s, east facade and choir of cathedral, after W. D. Sweeting, The Cathedral Church of Ely (London: George Bell & Sons, 1901)
EC11 Ely Cathedral, Lady Chapel, 1321-40s, interior.
EC12 Ely Cathedral, Lady Chapel, 1321-40s, wall seating
EC13 Ely Cathedral, Lady Chapel, 1321-40s, side walls
EC14 Ely Cathedral, Lady Chapel, 1321-40s, side wall, detail
EC 15 Ely Cathedral, Lady Chapel, 1321-40s, interior, south wall grouping fragments of stained glass in tracery and upper sections of windows.
EC16 Ely Cathedral, Lady Chapel, stained glass 1340s-50s, figures under arcades.
EC17 Ely Cathedral, Lady Chapel, stained glass 1340s-50s, figures under arcades and tracery.
EC18 Ely Cathedral, Lady Chapel, stained glass 1340s-50s, angel musicians.
EC19 Ely Cathedral, Lady Chapel, stained glass 1340s-50s, upper tracery, angels.
Ely Porta, The great gate of the monastery Ecclesiastical compounds comprised excluded spaces and also points of juncture. Often at these points of juncture, such as porches or gates, administration of justice took place. The great gate to Ely's monastic enclose was constructed from about 1390 to 1410 and was the place where manor courts were held. The chapel of the prior, or the gate building, represents the medieval structures where a laywoman such as where Margery Kempe would be interviewed and judged by ecclesiastic authorities.
EC19a Ely Porta, the great gate of the monastery, in 1817, with west end of the cathedral, after W. D. Sweeting, The Cathedral Church of Ely (London: George Bell & Sons, 1901)
Prior Crauden's Chapel (The prior is the head of the monastery; Crauden was prior from 1321-1341.) The chapel was constructed in the early 14th century and shows a complete and relatively untouched example of the decorated style. It measured 31 feet in length and 15 1/2 in width. The stained glass has all been lost and the east window now holds early 20th century figures under canopies. On either side of the altar are elaborate niches serving, on the north, as a tabernacle, and on the south as a piscina (for the washing of the hands and liturgical vessels). The church is decorated throughout with elaborate decorative carving similar to the work of the Lady Chapel. The chancel contains 14th-century tiles, in the center, under the altar, a representation of Adam and Eve. (The mass, and Christ's sacrifice, is the remedy for the sin of Adam and Eve).
EC20 Ely Cathedral, Prior Cruden's Chapel, early 14th century, exterior from north west.
EC21 Ely Cathedral, Prior Cruden's Chapel, early 14th century, exterior from south.
EC22 Ely Cathedral, Prior Cruden's Chapel, early 14th century, interior, looking east. The original glass has all been lost, the east window now shows 19th-century century figures under canopies.
EC23 Ely Cathedral, Prior Cruden's Chapel, early 14th century, interior, window tracery
Ec 24 Ely Cathedral, Prior Cruden's Chapel, early 14th century, tabernacle on north for the reserved host (the sacramental body of Christ).
EC25 Ely Cathedral, Prior Cruden's Chapel, early 14th century, piscina on the south for washing of the hands during the ritual of the mass.
EC26 Ely Cathedral, Prior Cruden's Chapel, early 14th century, altar
area with floor tiles showing Adam and Eve. (The mass, and Christ's
sacrifice, is the remedy for the sin of Adam and Eve).