The Cathedral Church of the Holy & Undivided Trinity
The city of Ely sits in the Cambridgeshire Fens on a 23 square mile Kimmeridge Clay island which, at 85 feet above sea level and is the highest land in the Fens.
The city and surrounding area is dominated by Ely Cathedral. The present building dates back to 1083 ad is built of Limestone which was brought by barge from Barnack quarry near Peterborough. Cathedral status was granted and the diocese of Ely was created in 1109 out of part of the Diocese of Lincoln.
It is known locally as "the ship of the Fens", because of its prominent position above the surrounding flat landscape.
The central octagonal tower, with its vast internal open space and its pinnacles and lantern above, forms the most distinctive and celebrated feature of the cathedral, this was built shortly after the original central stone tower collpased in February 1322.
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