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Ely Cathedral: Transept Crossing from Octagon

Transept Crossing from Octagon

A vertigo-inducing view of the nave and transept crossing from the Octagon. The Norman crossing was mostly destroyed when the tower fell down in 1322. Bishop Hotham paid for the choir to be rebuilt, then worked with the abbey's prior and sacrist to devise a unique solution for the crossing. The central pillars were removed and the side arches were set back at 45 degrees to form an octagon rather than a square.