Ely Cathedral is known as “The Ship of the Fens” and its Octagon Tower is seen for miles around in many directions. The re-lighting, with its variations in theme and colour has brought a stunning addition to the skyline of the picturesque city of Ely, in Cambridgeshire, and its surrounding area.

The site can be dated back to AD 762 when it began its life as an abbey church built by St Etheldreda. The current building dates back to 1083, and Ely was awarded cathedral status in 1109. CBG Light Perceptions, providing a highly specialised lighting design service for historic buildings, was appointed to the project. Our task was to remove the existing floodlighting and deliver a flexible and controllable scheme while offering high levels of energy efficiency. We were able to comply with the Church of England’s approval process, which has strict guidelines and technical requirements which has been the biggest challenge and priority of the project.