Ely is a cathedral city in East Cambridgeshire. Around 20,500 people lived in the parish at the 2021 Census, and the city covers the CB6 and CB7 postcodes.
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Looking for estate agents in Ely? Morris Armitage sells and lets homes across Ely and the villages around it from our Burwell branch, about 12 miles south of the city. Our Downham Market branch is 16 minutes away by direct train.
Contact UsEly Country Park is free to visit, with two waymarked trails, a play area with a zip wire and free parking. Part of the park is a Site of Special Scientific Interest. For indoor sport, The Hive on Downham Road has a 25-metre pool, a gym, a sports hall and an outdoor 3G pitch.
The city has three museums: Ely Museum in the old gaol, the Stained Glass Museum inside the cathedral and Oliver Cromwell's House. Through the year you'll find the Eel Festival in May, Aquafest on the river in early July and the Ely Folk Festival, which has run since 1985.
Ely has held a market for around 800 years. Today the Charter Market runs every Thursday from 8.30am. There's a craft, food and vintage market every Saturday, a farmers' market on the second and fourth Saturday of the month, and markets on Sundays and bank holidays too.
Ely station is a rail junction, with lines running to Cambridge, London, King's Lynn, Norwich, Ipswich and Peterborough. Direct trains reach Cambridge in as little as 14 minutes and London King's Cross in 1 hour 10 minutes at the fastest. You can also get to London Liverpool Street from 1 hour 37 minutes, Norwich in 49 minutes and Downham Market in 16 minutes.
By road, the A10 runs north to King's Lynn and south to Cambridge. The A142 links Ely with Soham and Newmarket. A southern bypass opened in 2018.
Ofsted stopped giving single overall grades in September 2024, so the results below are the latest published outcomes:
The city also has an independent school, King's Ely. Catchment areas change, so check with Cambridgeshire County Council before you commit to a move.
Ely Cathedral is known locally as the Ship of the Fens. Building started in 1083, and the octagon was built after the central tower collapsed in 1322. Inside, the labyrinth on the floor is the only one in an English cathedral.
The city stood on an island in the Fens until the land was drained in the 17th century, which is why the area is still called the Isle of Ely. Oliver Cromwell lived here from 1636 to 1646, and his house is now open to visitors.
Our Burwell team covers Ely and the surrounding villages for sales, lettings and property management. If you're thinking of selling, we'll start with a valuation based on recent sales in your part of the city. If you're a landlord, we can find tenants and manage the property for you.Book a valuation or get in touch with the Burwell branch to talk through your move.
Book a ValuationAccording to Rightmove, homes in Ely sold for an average of £382,262 over the last year, 2% more than the year before (Land Registry sales to 31 July 2026, published 17 September 2026). Detached homes averaged £519,806, semi-detached homes £347,040 and terraced homes £321,880.
North Ely is the city's main growth area, with around 1,200 homes planned. Willow Woods, a Linden Homes site of 258 homes off Lynn Road, is part of it and includes a new ground for Ely Cricket Club. Barratt Homes also lists High Flyer Reach on Monarch Way as coming soon.