Ely Cathedral

The cathedral's origins trace back to the 7th century, when a Benedictine foundation was established on this site, with Saint Etheldreda reputedly serving as its first abbess. On the Isle of Ely, an elevated area within a former marshland, the Anglo-Saxons resisted the Normans until 1071. Construction of the current Romanesque abbey church began in 1083 under Abbot Simeon, brother of the Abbot of Winchester. Initially, the choir was built, followed by the eastern transept between 1087 and 1093. In 1109, construction continued, now as a cathedral for an abbot-bishop. The twelve-bay nave from the 12th century features England's highest central aisle and was completed around 1180.