Today we went to Ely, which is about 15 minutes from Cambridge by train. It’s a much smaller town, but has one of the most impressive cathedrals in Britain. (Heather’s account of the visit is already up, and she has several pictures.) Since we went to evensong at King’s College chapel– which is one of the most remarkable examples of English Perpendicular architecture– it was interesting to compare them.
We biked from our house to the train station, finally found a space in the bike parking area (which is nuts), and after many minutes in line, bought tickets. This was the first time I was using the electronic ticket kiosk and my local chip-and-pin card, and with a large line behind me, I just wanted to get through the transaction as quickly as possible; as a result, I bought two one-way tickets, but at least they were to the right place.
via flickr
The train ride is short but pleasant, and there’s a walk from the train station to the cathedral that is generally unobjectionable but not amazing. However, there was a horse along the way.
via flickr
We stopped for a Cornish pasty before going in the cathedral, then spent the next several hours immersed in late medieval ecclesiastical architecture. The high point, literally and figuratively, was the tour of the Octagon and Lantern, an unusual feature of the cathedral added in the 1300s. The tour first takes you up onto the roof, which is pretty cool.
via flickr
The tour involves a lot of narrow staircases.
via flickr
You can view the stained glass up close. A lot of it is actually Victorian rather than medieval– between the Reformation, Civil War, and 500 years’ time, much of the original was lost by the time the Victorians rediscovered the art and restored the stained glass.
via flickr
Getting close to it is really great.
via flickr
Next you ascend to the level with the painted panels. While it looks like it’s made of stone and metal, most of the Octagon is actually wood, covered in lead.
via flickr
They open up the panels on the octagon, so you could look across….
via flickr
…and down.
via flickr
Finally, we went up onto the roof. During clear weather, it afford a terrific view of the Fens, but it was pretty cloudy today; still, it was impressive, and very cold.
via flickr
via flickr
After that we walked around town a bit, and inevitably arrived at the best bookstore in Ely, and possibly the world: Topping & Co.
via flickr
It’s an unexpected find– a wonderful three-story, crowded bookstore, with an excellent staff who know what they’re doing.
via flickr
Not only did they have a couple books I wanted, they offer their patrons pots of tea or coffee, which is not only very welcome on cold days, but it also increases the odds that people will buy stuff.
via flickr
It worked on me, but they’re books for work, so it was all right.
Today’s adventure is London, and the British Museum and Bloomsbury.