This photograph gives us information about the Eastern end of the aisle, and particularly, of the South wall. It allows us to identify several windows, and several tombs/effigies before we arrive at the central fenced off marker. We begin with the two closest effigies. PLAN
122. TWO EFFIGIES
The effigy at left is that of William Selwyn, and it lies beneath a window of clear lattice glass. William Selwyn DD (1806 – 1875) was a Church of England clergyman, canon of Ely Cathedral, Lady Margaret's Professor of Divinity, and amateur astronomer. Beyond it is the reclining effigy of Peter Gunning, with a stained glass window above. Peter Gunning (1614 – 1684) was an English Royalist church leader, Bishop of Chichester and Bishop of Ely.
123. TWO WINDOWS
The window at left is above Peter Gunning’s tomb; the window at right is adjacent. Their themes are the story of St John the Evangelist (left) and St Peter (right). St John has blond hair and tends to be dressed in green; St Peter is dressed in blue. Some of the scenes are easy to interpret.
124. A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE
Here we look Eastwards along the aisle over the two memorial brasses in the floor. The Eastern brass belongs to Bishop Thomas Goodrich who in fact caused a lot of destruction in line with Reformation ideas. To the right is the effigy of Bishop Martin Heton (Heaton) who lived 1554–1609. Above this is a window which has scenes from the life of the Virgin Mary.
125. THREE MORE TOMBS
Moving further down the South aisle reveals three more tombs on the window wall, and two further windows of interest.
126. WINDOWS 6 AND 8
There are these final two windows of interest along this aisle. At left is a window commemorating St George and St Hubert. Saint Hubert (c. 656 – c.727 or 728) was a Belgian saint called the ‘Apostle of the Ardennes’. He was the first Bishop of Liège. Hubert is the patron saint of hunters, mathematicians, opticians and metalworkers, and used to be invoked to cure rabies. Saint Hubert was widely venerated in the Middle Ages. The window at right has the theme of Christ healing.
127. TOMBS
The three tombs in this section are those of (from left) Robert Steward, Mark Steward and Joseph Allen. Robert Steward (d. 1557) was an English Benedictine prior of Ely, and the first dean of Ely. His cousin Mark died in 1603. The Latin inscription tells a fictitious story intending to show that the Stewards were really Scottish and members of the Royal House of Stewart. This pedigree has been proven false: the family name was really Styward (meaning ‘keeper of the pig sties’) and they came from Swaffham in Norfolk. Joseph Allen was bishop of Ely 1837 – 1845.
128. EFFIGY OF JOHN TIPTOFT AND WIVES
John Tiptoft, 1st Earl of Worcester KG (1427 – 1470) was an English nobleman and scholar, Lord High Treasurer, Lord High Constable and Deputy Governor of Ireland. He was known as the Butcher of England. He is lying here in a pious pose between two nof his three wives!
129. SOUTH CHOIR AISLE WEST
As we prepare to leave the South choir aisle, we come to these three tombs and a statue on the inner wall.
130. MEMORIAL, MADONNA AND CHILD
The memorial at left is for Thomas Greene D.D. who was Bishop of Ely in 1723. He was the son of Thomas and Sarah Greene, of St. Peter Mancroft’s Church, Norwich. In his lifetime, he was Prebendary of Ely, and Chancellor of Lichfield. He died in 1738. The statue of Mary and Child is by Derek Anson.
131. TWO MEMORIALS
These final memorials on the inner wall of the South choir aisle are for Johannes Moore and Robertus Butts. John Moore (1646–1714) was an English cleric, scholar, and book collector. He was Bishop of Norwich (1691–1707) and Bishop of Ely (1707–1714). Robert Butts (1684–1748) was an English churchman and strong partisan of the administration of Sir Robert Walpole, successively Bishop of Norwich and Bishop of Ely. Notice the recurring arms of the bishops of Ely: three gold coronets on a red background.
133. TILING
When exploring cathedrals, the ceilings and floor tilings are often a delight ...
134. EAGLE LECTERN
The lectern is the support for the Bible. In Anglican churches and cathedrals the lectern is usually in the form of an eagle, the bird thought to fly closest to heaven. There is an allusion to Isaiah 30:41: They will soar with wings as eagles. From here too there is an appreciation of the great length of Ely Cathedral.
135. CHOIR STALLS
The choir stalls are beautifully carved. Ely Cathedral is unusual in that there is no obvious cathedra. However, we do notice two special seats in the Western corners of the choir seating. Originally these were occupied by the Abbot and Prior of the Benedictine Abbey. When Henry I created the position of Bishop of Ely, the position of Abbot was abolished. No new cathedra was provided for the Bishop: he simply took the seat of the Abbot on the South side.
136. CHOIR CARVING
The choir stalls contain many interesting carved features. Pictured here are a cat(?), peacock, angel and gryphon.
137. ORGAN
Above the choir are the pipes of the Cathedral organ. An organ was first built in Ely Cathedral in 1685, reputedly by Renatus Harris. In 1831 Elliot and Hill built a new organ, and this has been rebuilt since. In 1908, Harrison and Harrison built a virtually new organ, incorporating some of the old pipe work. Most of the organ was placed in the North choir triforium, with the console below, on the stone gallery behind the top of the choir stalls. There was a restoration in 1974-75, and again in 1999-2001. [Cathedral Photo]
138. CHOIR CLERESTORY
High above the choir on either side is a set of clerestory windows. From left to right we have – South side Doctors: Augustine of Canterbury, Venerable Bede, St David, St Columba of Iona; St Gregory the Great, St Augustine of Hippo, St Ambrosius, St Jerome; St Gregory Nazianzan, St Athanasius, St Basil, St John Chrysostom. North side Martyrs: St George, St Agnes, St Catherine, St Alban; St Laurence, St Cecilia, St Justin, St Prisca; St Ignatius, St Polycarp, St Lucian, St Stephen.
139. PRESBYTERY STEP
As we leave the choir and move to the presbytery, we mount this step with its five coats of arms.
140. ST ETHELDREDA’S SHRINE
For centuries, Etheldreda's shrine was the focus at Ely Cathedral for vast numbers of medieval pilgrims. It was destroyed in 1541, but a slate in the Cathedral marks the spot where it stood. This is what it looks like today. The slate reads: Here stood the shrine of Etheldreda, Saint and Queen, who founded this House AD 673.