Moved on to the Great Ouse to the next EA moorings where picnic tables and facilities were available for the travellers on the A10 road as well as for us boaters. As we approached the city we saw the cathedral on the hill. Wow what an impressive building. Luckily found a mooring near the Maltings. Boats were rather spread out by the park preventing us from stopping there on the way in. The mooring is very public but was quiet at night. Many ducks and geese sleep on the grass near by were chased off by a dog late one night creating a lot of noise.
Ely is a historic city with many old and beautiful buildings. At one time an island surrounded by sea and marsh lands. The main shopping centre is up the hill past the cathedral. Many useful shops are here but more like a town than a city.
The cathedral was founded as a monastery and suffered much damage by Henry VIII during the Dissolution and by the hand of Oliver Cromwell who lived in Ely for 10 years. Most of the statues had their heads chiselled off and much of the ornate stone decoration has been severely damaged. The huge Lady Chapel had all the stain glass windows broken so it is now very bright with the plain glass. A modern statue of Mary dressed in bright blue stands above the alter.
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