When guests came to visit me during my noviciate at Blackfriars in Cambridge, a trip to Ely Cathedral was a failsafe and inexpensive trip out. Ely (above) is extraordinary; the “Ship of the Fens”, with its famous octagonal central tower, rises above the surrounding countryside. Looking at the paintings of patriarchs and prophets on the ceiling of the nave (added in the 19th century) left one with a slight crick in the neck. Even better was a tour of the lantern, where panels open to let you see the angels close up.