Thoroughly enjoyed a tour of this magnificent building. How on earth did they manage to build this huge, towering Cathedral on a small island in the middle of completely unstable marsh land? Founded by Saxon Queen Ethelreda, initially as a monastery and nunnery. The Cathedral can be seen for miles across the flat fenland and as you approach the Isle of Ely it is easy to see how it came by the name “Ship of the Fens”. The wealth of Ely came from the abundance of eels. Today there is just one traditional eel trapper left.