The Cambridgeshire city that used to be an island only reachable by …
Much of Cambridgeshire is below sea level – a fact you’ll be familiar with if you’ve ever looked at one of those maps that claim to predict how much of the county could be underwater in 2050. Some of those maps show that Ely[1] would be spared from the rising tides, thanks to being higher above sea level than much of the surrounding area.
In fact, Ely used to be an island – the Isle of Ely, to be precise, formed by a deposit of clay. It could only be reached by boat or causeway because of the marshy, swampy nature of the Fens.
It stuck out above the waterlogged fenland until the 17th century when drainage work began in the area and completely changed the landscape. One area where you can see historical fenland is Wicken Fen[2], where the National Trust work to conserve the fenland.
This means that Ely now stands out less from the marshy landscape than it did historically, though its elevation means it still stands tall across the countryside. And if you visit from other parts of Cambridgeshire[4], you might find the city a little more hilly than you’re used to – though the heights are hardly dizzying.
The Isle of Ely became an administrative county in 1889, surviving until 1965 despite covering a small area and having a small population. It was then known as Cambridgeshire and the Isle of Ely for some time.
Ely (Image: Getty Images)
If you’ve ever heard Ely Cathedral referred to as the ‘Ship of the Fens’, you can understand why. At 26 metres above sea level, the medieval cathedral stands out from the flat landscape as a truly beautiful sight as you approach the city by car or train – like seeing an enormous ship across the ocean.
Though Ely is no longer an island, it’s a great place for a day out and has been described as the best place to live in Cambridgeshire[5]. And seeing as it’s now accessible by rail and road, there’s no excuse not to visit.
References
- ^ Ely (www.cambridge-news.co.uk)
- ^ Wicken Fen (www.cambridge-news.co.uk)
- ^ ‘Large villa complex’ could be uncovered at Cambridge dig site where Roman artefacts were found (www.cambridge-news.co.uk)
- ^ Cambridgeshire (www.cambridge-news.co.uk)
- ^ best place to live in Cambridgeshire (www.cambridge-news.co.uk)