Aug 2015 Visit to Ely Cathedral & the Octagon & talk plus guests

A visit and a tour about the ancient history (started 1080) of the beautiful Ely Cathedral and its Octagon views.

We had a knowledgeable and personal guide to take us up the three turret staircases, each tighter than the last, plus an aerial walkway to reach the Octagon.  Suspended over the nave we heard just how many tons of ancient oak (200!) and lead (200!) it is made of.  The original building had a central stone tower but after its dramatic collapse it was replaced with the elegant octagon.  Huge amounts of funding are necessary to maintain this glorious historic cathedral (3.5 million each year).

Several of us then attended the Evensong service and were welcomed by the Dean in his initial announcements.  The singing and organ playing were quite ethereal in the gorgeous surroundings.

We then met for a tasty meal in the Armoury Restaurant set just within the grounds, with the Dean as our guest, who then gave a very interesting talk about the history of the cathedral, the government of the diocese (1500 sq miles of East Anglia), its outward looking ethos and its plans for the future. Mark is the 65th Dean and spoke with humour about how he has  down-to-earth approach to managing the Cathedral (together with the Chapter) - a weighty responsibility.

Meet at/ tours start 4.15pm - Main Door - Pay at reception.

- the tours last about 1hr (you can choose one with or without the Octagon climb). 

- then Evensong is optional.