Rattee’s carving of the oak screen at Ely Cathedral

Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, Ely

History of Ely Cathedral

Listed Building

The Cathedral of the Holy Trinity was begun in 1083 by Simeon, a Kinsman of William the Conqueror and was virtually completed in its present form by 1350 after which no further major building took place. The nave and transepts have exceptionally fine C12 work, the chancel and west porch are C13 and the central crossing, lantern and the Lady Chapel are C14. The inner porch has some C15 work. Considerable restoration work was done by Sir Gilbert Scott in the mid C19.

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The graveyard here became very congested after the cholera epidemic of 1832.

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The Cambridge based firm of Rattee and Kett were associated with Ely Cathedral for 150 years.

One of James Rattee’s most celebrated pieces of carving was the screen at Ely Cathedral, documented in Volume IX No 441 of ‘The Builder’.

The reredos was created in 1857 under the direction of Sir George Gilbert Scott and John Birnie Philip.

At the end of the 1980s they were involved in a major restoration programme of works to the Nave, lady Chapel, east End, South Transept and Lantern. The 14th century timber framed octagon received structural repairs while the glazing was releaded and the decorative paintwork restored.

A BBC East film about the restoration in 1987 by Rattee and Kett can be seen here:

https://eafa.org.uk/work/?id=1043996

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1938

Then and Now (David Gent) – Two Queens at Ely Cathedral during a visit on 21st January 1938.

Ely Cathedral has a long history of visits by members of the Royal family. On the right is Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon, Queen of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 to 6 February 1952 as the wife of King George VI, later to become known as the Queen Mother. On the left is Mary of Teck (Victoria Mary Augusta Louise Olga Pauline Claudine Agnes; Queen of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Empress of India, from 6 May 1910 until 29 January 1936 as the wife of King-Emperor George V. She was the mother of kings Edward VIII and George VI.

The second picture taken a couple of weeks ago shows the same view minus people.

Third picture is a newspaper report of the visit published in the Peterborough Standard on the 28th January 1938

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1959 21st June – Dedication of the Roll of Honour of The Cambridgeshire Regiment in the presence of The princess Margaret, Colonel-in-Chief

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Additional reports and publications:

Royal Archaeological Institute: Summer Meeting 1967: Ely, The Monastic Buildings South of the Cloister by P A Faulkner

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