Ely Local Attractions
Ely Cathedral
Ely Cathedral is principal church of the diocese of Ely, and Ely itself is the nearest Cathedral city to Cambridge. Ely Cathedral is known locally as 'ship of the Fens' because of the distant views of the towers that dominate the local landscape known as 'the Fens'.
Ely Cathedral started its life as a monastery, founded in AD 673 by St. Etheldreda. It was destroyed by the Danes, and rebuilt by Abbot Simeon in 1081. The central tower fell in 1322, and was rebuilt by Alan of Walsingham in an Octagon design. For centuries, people have come to Ely as pilgrims to see Etheldreda's shrine, which was destroyed in 1541.
Ely Cathedral is open to visitors all year round.
Adec Babylon Gallery
The Babylon Gallery stands to bring high quality arts to the local people. The building itself was converted from a warehouse, and now houses a number of local events including workshops, films, dance classes and art exhibitions. The gallery is managed by registered charity Adec, with free admission to visitors.
Canon on The Green
The canon, captured from Russians in Sebastopol, is a well known landmark in the local area. Queen Victoria gave the canon to the city in 1860, where it has stayed at the green until this day. Visitors also choose to visit the green to see the many surrounding historic buildings, including the Bishop's place, as well as the oldest Plane tree in the country – standing at over 300 years old!
Ely Museum
There is an extremely long and important history in Ely, documented in the local Ely museum. Despite the fact that it is one of the smallest cities in Britain, its location and cathedral means that there is much to be learnt in terms of its religious and political background.
Jubilee Gardens
The Time Team from Channel 4 came to Ely in 2000 to excavate the site of Jubilee Gardens. There were a number of impressive finds in the area, uncovering centuries of history from a medieval kiln to ancient mooring channels and pottery. The gardens were opened to the public in 2002, and there are a number of artefacts to be seen, as well as play areas for children.
Oliver Cromwell's House
Oliver Cromwell was one of the most famous historical residents of Ely, and he and his family lived here from 1636 to 1647. The house itself was built in the 13th century, as a vicarage for St. Mary's Church. The building houses the local Tourist Information Centre, and has been refurbished to include a number of displays on the life of the Cromwells.
Wicken Fell National Nature Reserve
For those who love being outdoors with nature, Ely is the perfect place to stay to visit Britain's oldest nature reserve: Wicken Fen. The reserve is home to a number of plants, mammals, birds and insects. There are a number of facilities for visitors in the William Thorpe Visitor Centre.
