Early Fabric in Historic Towns: Ely, Cambridgeshire. (1st January 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lane, Rebecca
• Is Part Of: Vernacular architecture. Volume 48(2017)
• Page Start: 1
• Page End: 22
• Publication Date: 2017-01-01
• Subjects: Ely -- urban -- recording -- vernacular -- building -- topography; Vernacular architecture -- Periodicals; Vernacular architecture -- Great Britain -- Periodicals; 720
• DOI: 10.1080/03055477.2017.1374139
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0305-5477

Abstract

Abstract : Ely is a city well known for its cathedral and monastic precinct, but the rest of the settlement has been relatively little studied. This paper outlines the Historic England project that was undertaken in the city between 2014 and 2016. The project focused on the fragmentary remains of buildings surviving in the secular parts of the city, looking at the development of the city as a whole through the investigation and survey of a sample of buildings. This study has revealed that hidden behind many of the later façades in the city are buildings reflecting the history of Ely from the medieval period onwards. The results have been used to analyse the distinctive urban topography of the city. They were also used to consider the form and function of the buildings and how they responded to the specific circumstances of Ely's development, under the auspices of the church. The paper represents extracts from the more detailed report which has been published as a Historic England Research Report.