mained unfinished at the time of his decease, and the east side was completed by his successor Richard, in the year 1106. This Abbot solicited Henry I. to establish a Bishopric here; but the design was not effected till after the Abbot's death in 1108. Hervey, Bishop of Bangor, was the first appointed to the new See.* Henry VIII. granted a charter, in 1541, to convert the conventual church into a cathedral; the establishment for the performance of divine service to consist of a dean, eight prebendaries, and other ministers.

The Cathedral is the workmanship of very different periods, and displays a singular mixture of various styles of architecture; yet, considered as a whole, it must be regarded as a very magnificent structure. The north and south transepts are the oldest parts of the edifice, and were erected in the reigns of William Rufus and Henry I. Here the arches are circular, as well as in the nave, which was begun during the reign of the latter monarch, and completed before 1174. Between this period and the

The Diocese (which was taken from the See of Lincoln) included the whole of the County of Cambridge, with the exception of a few parishes on the east and north-east, belonging to the Sees of Norwich and Rochester. It has been enlarged under the late Ecclesiastical commission, by the still further abstraction from the See of Lincoln, of the Counties of Huntingdon and Bedford, and by the addition of small parts of the Counties of Norfolk and Suffolk, heretofore in the Diocese of Norwich.

year 1189, Bishop Rydel erected the great west tower; the interior view of which is particularly beautiful, it being decorated with small columns and arches running round in several stories, and lighted by 27 windows. The lower part was repaired, and new cased with stone, in the middle of the fifteenth century; but the beauty of the tower was destroyed in a considerable degree, by the insertion of a belfry floor, and various irregular beams. These were, however, removed in 1802, through the munificence and taste of the Right Rev. James Yorke, then Bishop, who also enabled the dean and chapter to repair the mutilated decorations of the tower, and restore the whole to its original splendour. The handsome vestibule at the entrance was built about the year 1200, by Bishop Eustachius.

The foundation of the elegant structure which now forms the choir, but was originally the presbytery, was laid by Hugh Northwold, the eighth bishop, in 1234, and finished in 1250. The three most western arches were destroyed by the fall of the lofty stone tower in 1322. This tower stood in the centre of the building, on four arches, which gave way, and precipitated it to the ground. To prevent the recurrence of a like accident, Alan de Walsingham, sub-prior of the convent, designed and erected the present octagonal tower, which is supported on eight pillars, covered with a dome, and terminated by an elegant lantern. The capitals of the pillars are ornamented with rude historical carvings, which

represent the principal events in the life of Etheldreda. The whole of this elegant octagon was finished in the year 1342. The three arches eastward of the octagon were rebuilt about the same period. The vaulting is divided into regular compartments by various ribs, which spring from the capitals of the pillars, and are ornamented at the intersections with elegant foliage, executed with great skill. The arches of the second arcade, and the windows above them, are decorated with graceful and delicate tracery work. The wood work of the dome and lantern, with part of the roof, was repaired between the years 1757 and 1762, by Mr. James Essex, of Cambridge; and the choir, which was then under the lantern, was also removed, by his direction, to its present situation. The stalls in the new choir were originally made by Alan de Walsingham; the east window is embellished with a good painting of Saint Peter; and the altar-piece is a fine old painting, representing Saint Peter delivered from prison by the Angel. At the east end of the north aisle is a sumptuous chapel, erected by Bishop Alcock, who died in 1500: his tomb is placed in the chapel. In the south aisle, and in some respects corresponding with the former, but much superior in its embellishments, is another chapel. This was erected by Bishop West, about the year 1530, and is highly enriched with delicate gothic ornaments. In the aisles are the remains of several ancient monuments. chiefly of the bishops who have filled the see, but

these are now much defaced. The front is of very elegant worked marble, adorned with small statues.

The extreme extent of the cathedral, from east to west, is 535 feet: but the interior length is only 517. The length of the transept is 190 feet; the height of the lantern 170; the extreme height of the western tower 270; and of the two towers on the south, 120 feet. The length of the nave is 203 feet, and the height of the roof over it 104. The height of the eastern front to the top of the cross is 112 feet.*

Near the east end of the cathedral is Saint Mary's chapel, now Trinity church. This elegant structure was commenced in the reign of Edward II., and is one of the most perfect buildings of that age. The interior length is 100 feet, the breadth 46, and the height of the vaulted roof 60. This building has neither pillars nor side aisles, but is supported by strong spiring buttresses, surmounted with pinnacles.

The cloisters and other buildings of the monastery have been long since demolished, except the refectory, which has been converted into a residence for the dean; and an elegant little chapel, built by Prior Crauden, now much mutilated, and appropriated to domestic uses. The remains of the first Saxon church, built by Etheldreda, are very considerable, and have been formed into prebendal houses; the western gate of the college, or the Ely Porta, is still

A very interesting Architectural Description of this venerable and elegant fabric has been published by the Rev. Geo. Millers, M.A. Precentor of the Cathedral.

standing; it is of brick, with battlements and low towers.

The Bishop's Palace is a venerable structure. It was built by Bishops Alcock and Goodrich, and was greatly improved by Bishop Keene. It is very commodious, and fitted up in an elegant style.

There is also a grammar-school appendant to the cathedral, for the education of twenty-four boys; and a charity-school for the same number. The justices of the peace have hitherto been appointed by the Bishops of Ely; but hereafter, in pursuance of recent Acts of parliament, will be appointed by the They hold a petty sessions at the sessionshouse every market-day, which is on the Thursday. This city is the only one in England not represented in Parliament. The population amounts to about 6,200.

crown.

SUTTON, five miles west of Ely, is a large village, containing a very elegant gothic church, which stands on an eminence. It is in the decorated style of the first and second Edwards. It has a beautiful square tower, on which are two octagonal stories adorned with carving.

CHATTERIS is a very large and populous village, containing upwards of 4,000 inhabitants.

DODDINGTON, eleven miles north-west of Ely, is the most extensive parish in the county, and contains 38,000 acres of rich land. The rectory is in the gift of the Peyton family, and is supposed to be the richest in the kingdom, being valued at 7,3067.