Sunday 9 August 2015

Hidden splendours.



I spent four years 'literally' living in the shadow of this glorious building. 

I was obliged to visit it every day, as well as visiting on countless other occasions simply for the pure pleasure.

Looking at this picture (which I was sent recently), I now realise that there are so many bits of it that I failed to visit; most noticeably the west tower (on the left).

As you can see, the tower is huge and presumably contains several impressive 'rooms'; I wonder what's in them? The top section of the tower has four huge stained glass windows; pointless unless viewed from inside. I imagine, therefore, that there must be a wonderful room hidden away inside; it can't have been just for bells, surely.

If anyone just happens to be passing by this lovely building, perhaps you could pop in and ask someone what's up there; just say Cro sent you!.



29 comments:

  1. Not a clue. Is this where you went to school? Impressive!

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  2. I would be very pleased to do as you ask. Where is it? Oxford? Cambridge? Eton? I'm sure you told me once but I have forgotten.

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    1. It's near Cambridge, at Ely.

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    2. I was thinking we might keep them guessing. I love that building too, as also does my P. I like the different views of it especially entering Ely from March where it is visible from far off as if it sits alone in the middle of the Fens, no other buildings are visible. I always think of you these days when I pass it. I will check out the West Wing one day.

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    3. I think most Brits know it; don't they? This is quite a serious question, I'd love to know what's inside that tower. I can't think why I didn't find out when I was there.

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  3. You have had such an interesting life, Cro!

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  4. I am so glad we have the Google street view, England is so beautiful and those google people were every where.

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  5. The farmer and I had a walk round it on our recent holiday in Aldburgh - very beautiful. There is a serenity to these old buildings which is not found elsewhere - it seems to be in the very fabric.

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  6. Am I the only one who doesn't know what this building is - Ely Cathedral maybe - not a part of England I am familiar with.

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    1. Yes it's Ely Cathedral. Built next to an ancient monastery/school of which both Edward the Confessor and Cro are alumni.

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  7. Ely is astounding. Why would they have built such a huge cathedral in an isolated and swampy little homestead as Ely must have been at that time?

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    1. The population always was, and still is, pretty poor. As you say, a mystery; except, of course, for those rather pampered schoolboys.

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    2. I have yet to meet a poor Fen farmer.

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    3. Some of them are part-time stockbrokers.

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  8. Ely is beautiful Cro, isn't it ? …. our son sang there as well as many of the Cathedrals in the UK. XXXX

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  9. A long drive. And a hot day. I was grateful for the spacious cool interior. When I came out I had my sandwiches sitting on the grass and I can still remember just sitting with a half eaten sandwich staring at it in wonderment and awe.

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  10. I mean staring at the cathedral (not the sandwich).

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    1. There is no reason why an English sandwich should not be regarded with awe; even if eaten in glorious surroundings.

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  11. Definitely puts my mid-century modern school to shame.

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  12. The older I get the more I admire older buildings, their wrinkles and scars, their imperfections. As soon as we are done with this Grain House Build I'm starting on my castle home, or at least a tower...small turret maybe?

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    1. Hi Donna; how are you? Are you now installed at The Poor Farm?

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  13. Last September I received a round of applause at Ely Cathedral and not in the way you may imagine.

    We were taking part, as common or garden tourists, in a tour of the Cathedral. Our guide was, as they all are, very knowledgeable but she had to compete with a lady who was translating everything the guide said into Japanese for the couple sitting next to her. I asked her if she could not speak so loudly because we couldn't hear the guide. And I got a round of applause from the other 20 people in our tour.

    One Aussie tourist later said to me 'Good on you. I was about to say something myself but we were in a cathedral and I couldn't think of any thing to say other than 'can you please just shut the **** up.

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    1. Good for you. I used to do ad hoc guides myself when I was there; I used to point-out saucy bits of hidden carvings to foreign tourists. They loved it.

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  14. does this help ? http://ely.org.uk/inside-ely-cathedral/great-west-tower-ceiling.html

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    1. Followed the link. Many thanks. Wonderful photos of a wonderful building.

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    2. Thanks for that Squirrel. Lots of interesting stuff there, but unfortunately it still doesn't answer my question of what's inside, at the top of the tower.

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  15. We had a great day out in Ely a few yrs back there was a jazz festival on by the river it was a great atmosphere and the tearoom /refectory in the cathedral was fabulous I have pictures of my boys with the cannon outside :)

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  16. I'll try and find out for you. I live in Stretham, just up the road from Ely, and walk past the cathedral most weekends. Bear with....

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