Last Friday, Radio Cambridgeshire's Andie Harper Show invited listeners to join them at Ely Cathedral, with the option of a tour of part of the cathedral not usually open to visitors. Since this was a first come first served offer, I jumped at the chance and phoned in to book a space.
So I arrived today at the cathedral with camera and tripod in hand. The shows presenter Mr Harper and close support Mrs Carman, Mr Williamson & Mr Dee soon appeared with radio technicians and paraphernalia. A band of loyal listeners joined the group and the Cathedral helpers plied us with coffee, tea and biscuits as the show began.
The acoustics of the Ely Cathedral are such that the radio interviews themselves took on a slightly hallowed air. At 10am we went to visit the Prior Crauden's Chapel with Mr Dee as the live interviewer and Mrs Carman as his minder whilst we listeners got to know each other in conversation.
Our guide to the Chapel was the historically well informed Cathedral Guide Mr Shank. He led us up the tight little staircase into the small first floor chapel. It had survived the reformation remarkably well, only losing the mediaeval stained glass as so many religious establishments did. However, the Victorian replacement was a very vibrant light featuring St Andrew (Sanctus Andreas), St Philip, St Paul, St Thomas and St Simon.
The chapel also had the shadowy remnants of a wall painting of the crucifiction – very difficult to make out. However, the real gem was the mediaeval tiled floor, where a large panel featured Adam and Eve at the moment of temptation, surrounded by lions (or should that be leopards) and a recognisable deer.
Another of the show's facebook friends, Mr Redhead, was also there with his SLR and we alternated views and photographs. After the tour of the chapel we both bought tickets for a tour of the West Tower to take advantage of the views.
Our septuagenarian guide Mr Sallows took us on an informative and humorously commentated tour that included the 288 steps to the top of the tower. We started out as a party of six and arrived on top as a party of five. At this altitude, the wind was fair whistling past us as we peered through the towers crenelations, photographing the map-like landscape and architectural model buildings with minuscule figures spread below us.
After the tour, I had a baked potato lunch and drink in the cathedral refectory, with the sound of a military wedding in the choir of the chapel being broadcast in the background.
Refreshed I wandered back to the Octagon space, looking for suitable photographic subjects.
The sun, which had decided to hide itself in broken cloud whilst we were up the tower, now resumed full power, such that the south facing stained glass windows glowed in brilliant colours. I was taken by the depiction of the Tower of Babel and photographed that first.
Then suddenly, as part of the wedding, the ethereal voice of a chorister lifted to the accompaniment of the organ with a rendition of Ave Maria, followed by Bach's Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring.
The light coming through the South Transept light shone on simple modern grey fabric seats arranged in rows, imbuing then with subtle colours and glows. The wooden seats in the nave also took on dappled shades giving some striking photographic effects.
Many photograph the Octagon, as I have done in the past. The decorated vaulting around it often disappears into the shadows and yet is in itself beautifully decorated if viewed with a longer exposure.
The vaulting photographs lead me across to the South Transept to use the telephoto lens and capture some of the Angels arranged along the beams. Their faces were sometimes serious, sometime comical and at their feet the beams ended in more grotesque faces, including a remarkable likeness of Princess Leia during her twin bun phase.
The battery on my camera was running low as I took the last shots before leaving the Ship of the Fens, to wind my way back home via a diversion to Over.
A selection of photos here: Ely Cathedral with Andie Harper Show.
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