Secret Ely

Michael Rouse

• Publisher: Amberley Publishing
• Year: 2017
• eBook ISBN: 9781445675893
• Edition: 0
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: British History
• Index: History

Ely and its magnificent cathedral have dominated this area of Cambridgeshire for centuries, and today it is a thriving and rapidly growing city. Much has been written about Ely's rich historical past but in this book local historian Michael Rouse explores the lesser-known episodes of the city's history, covering its beginnings as a collection of houses surrounding the medieval abbey and cathedral on an island in the Fens; its local economy, which was also based on the River Ouse and the surrounding fenland; medieval and modern-day fairs; local inhabitants, including Oliver Cromwell; and visitations by the plague, along with many more stories that even most locals don't know. With tales of remarkable characters, unusual events and tucked-away historical buildings, Secret Ely will appeal to all those with an interest in the history of Ely, and to all those who wish to learn more about this fascinating and historical corner of Cambridgeshire and the Fens.

Table of contents

• Cover Page
• Title
• Dedication
• Copyright
• Contents
• Introduction
• 1. The Island of Eels
• 2. Eel Day
• 3. St Audrey’s Well
• 4. Turbotsey
• 5. Lovers Lane
• 6. Roswell Pits
• 7. Cuckoo Bridge
• 8. The Cresswells
• 9. Country Park
• 10. Paradise
• 11. The Park
• 12. ‘The Ship of the Fens’
• 13. Jubilee Gardens
• 14. Babylon
• 15. Ely High Bridge
• 16. An Ancient Market Town
• 17. Ely Fairs
• 18. St Mary’s Church
• 19. St John’s Farm
• 20. The Old Palace
• 21. Palace Green
• 22. ‘Heal the Sick’
• 23. Prior Crauden’s Chapel
• 24. What Are The two High Street Gates?
• 25. Oliver Cromwell’s House
• 26. Did Oliver Cromwell Vandalise the Cathedral?
• 27. Stories in Stained Glass
• 28. The Remarkable Mr Bentham
• 29. A Lasting Legacy
• 30. Who Was Thomas Parsons?
• 31. Highflyer
• 32. The Fen Office
• 33. Market Street Infants’ School
• 34. The Bishop’s Gaol
• 35. A Grim History
• 36. The Sessions House
• 37. The House of Correction
• 38. Tower Hospital
• 39. Steam, Mighty Steam
• 40. River Trade
• 41. Cutter Inn
• 42. Life on the River
• 43. ‘Backs Between Your Knees’
• 44. The Corn Exchange
• 45. The Cemetery
• 46. Bona Cervisia
• 47. Ely’s Two Maltings
• 48. Ely’s Lost Pubs
• 49. They Still Serve
• 50. Old Hereward Hall
• 51. Theological College
• 52. St Peter’s Church
• 53. The Fountain
• 54. VR and ED
• 55. Centre E
• 56. Royal Air Force Hospital
• 57. Who Was J. Graven?
• 58. Any Old Iron
• 59. The Corner Shop
• 60. Read All About It
• 61. What’s in a Name?
• 62. Please Mr Postman
• 63. Tradition and Friendship
• 64. A City on a Hill
• Acknowledgements