The transformation of the interior of Ely’s St Mary’s Church is nearing completion.

Specialist builders and engineers have worked for ten months inside the Grade 1 Listed building which dates back over 800 years.

The floor has been levelled and a stone floor laid with underfloor heating. Secondary heating, new lighting and electrics have been installed. Air source heat pumps will reduce the building’s carbon footprint.

Redecoration has begun and over the next few weeks new audio visual equipment will be installed and tested.

Fund raising for the project began six years ago has attracted generous support from local and national charities including the Amey Community Fund, Garfield Weston Foundation, Beatrice Laing Trust, Joseph Rank Trust, Thomas Parsons Charity, as well as £192,000 from East Cambridgeshire District Council’s Community Infrastructure Levy fund.

The major contribution, totalling £388,000 has come from church members. While the building is closed, regular Sunday services are held at the former Bishop Woodford House in Barton Road which is now part of King’s Ely.

“This has been a magnificent team effort which has inspired and excited us all,” said the Rector, the Rev Chris Hill.

“We are in the final stages of creating an accessible, flexible and functional space, open not just for Sunday services but seven days a week and we look forward to returning to the building and sharing this beautiful space.

“Replacing the wooden Victorian pews with new seats, levelling the floor, new ‘green’ heating, lighting and audio visual equipment is creating a space not just for worship, weddings and church services, but will open up St Mary’s for a variety of purposes to benefit the whole of the Ely community.”

Further details of the project with photos and videos of the work carried out to date can be found at the church website (external link)