"The Isle of Eels." Top 5 Page for this destination Ely by planxty

Ely Travel Guide: 77 reviews and 212 photos

Island in the Fens.

Ely is a relatively small market town situated in Cambridgeshire, and is dominated by an ancient cathedral. Good transport links to London make it very accessible for a day trip (see transportation tip).

Ideas as to the origin on the name vary, but it is generally held to be a corruption of "eel lye" meaning Isle of Eels. Bearing in mind how far inland it is, this may seem far fetched, but before the Fens were drained, the high ground on which the town is situated was indeed an island rising from the marshes hereabouts.

Archaeology would suggest that there was settlement here from at least the Iron Age, and the Romans were certainly present. The "modern" town was founded with the arrival of a religious settlement in the 7th century, forming an association wiith the Christian church which is still very evident.

For anybody visiting London, or nearby Cambridge ( a much more popular tourist destination) I would definitely recommend at least a day here.

Cathedral precinct, Ely, England.

Last visit to Ely: Aug 2005
Intro Updated Oct 1, 2005
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Reviews (9)

Ely Cathedral, Cambridgeshire, England. - Ely

Visit the Cathedral. Things to Do (5)

This is probably the primary reason people visit Ely, and it is certainly worth the trip. The word magnificent is often... more travel advice

Maltings, Ely, Cambridgeshire, England. - Ely

Not my kind of place Tourist Traps (1)

I popped into this place for a quick drink prior to returning to the Station for my train, and I have to say, it's not... more travel advice

Take a river walk. Things to Do (5)

Ely sits on the River Ouse, and it is a pleasant way to spend a little time just walking along the river. In summer,... more travel advice

Sculpture, ely, Cambridgeshire, England - Ely

So what are they? Off The Beaten Path (1)

It's not exactly off the beaten path, but I'm sure many people see this without realising what it is. A modern sulpture,... more travel advice

Transportation (1)
Time your journey.

Restaurants (1)
Decent food in nice surroundings

Comments (5)

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TheWanderingCamel Jun 2, 2009 at 8:53 AM

Lovely place, Ely - and one of the roots on our family tree so an extra attachment for us. Nice to see others appreciate it.
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evaanna Nov 27, 2006 at 4:16 AM

Excellent page on a lovely place. Must visit it some day, including the jail.
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sourbugger Jan 10, 2006 at 4:50 AM

very well written page. must have a look at more of your stuff soon. cheers sb
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nhcram Dec 30, 2005 at 2:40 AM

I used to visit friends in Soham and often came to Ely for a drink. Thanks for the memories
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Mariajoy Nov 27, 2005 at 5:45 AM

Nice Ely page Fergy... a cruise on the Ouse might be just the job for a day out in the summer. Hope you're keeping warm! Maria :)