Ely Cathedral Trivia Quiz

Answer: The Cathedral Church of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Ely

Ely Cathedral is also known as "The Ship of the Fens". As the surrounding countryside is very flat the Cathedral can be seen from miles around on a clear day.

Answer: 1109

Ely Cathedral started life as a monastery founded by St.Etheldreda, daughter of the King of East Anglia in AD673. The Danes destroyed the original church in the 870's. Although it was rebuilt in Anglo-saxon times, nothing of that era remains. After the Norman Conquest it was completely rebuilt and is one of the finest examples of Romanesque architecture throughout England.

Answer: octagon

The main tower known as the crossing tower collapsed on 22 February 1322. Alan of Walsingham designed the new octagonal tower which is built using huge oak beams that rise in height to 63 feet. Stone pillars are placed at the bottom with diagonal beams to help support the tower. These stone pillars support over 400 tons in weight. This took eighteen years to finish.

Answer: West

The Galilee Porch is the main entrance to Ely Cathedral and is covered in rows of arches called blind arcading in the design of Early English Gothic architecture. The whole of the West front of the cathedral is also covered in blind arcading which are all part of the stone work and have not been added later. The porch is made of Barnock stone and Purbeck marble.

Answer: A labyrinth

This design has no dead ends. Visitors are encouraged to walk its full length and in doing so you will have walked the same distance as if you had walked up to the ceiling above. This was added in the nineteenth century.

Answer: 537 ft

Ely Cathedrals Nave is one of the longest in English cathedrals, placed fourth overall. It has numerous round arches in the style of Norman architecture. The ceiling was restored during Victorian times by two artists, each having six panels to complete. The artists were Henry Styleman Le Strange and Thomas Gambier Parry.

Answer: St George

This is the chapel of the Cambridgeshire Regiment and depicts men who died in the last centuries two world wars.

Answer: St Edmund

He defied the Vikings by not denouncing his faith and was killed. There is a medieval painting of his martydom on the north wall which is the best preserved painting in the cathedral. He was buried in Bedricsworth which was renamed Bury St Edmunds, in Suffolk.

Answer: John of Wisbech

This is the largest Lady Chapel that has been attached to a British Cathedral. Lady Chapels are dedicated to the Virgin Mary and although it was destroyed in the Reformation a little paint and some fragements of glass can still be seen from the original chapel.

Answer: 1847

He was Knighted in 1872 and had a great interest in gothic architecture which can be seen throughout the cathedral. There are many sculptures throughout the cathedral such as 'The Way of Life' by Jonathan Clarke, commissioned for the new millenium.