The Acoustics of Ely Cathedral’s Lady Chapel: a study of its changes throughout history

Abstract

The Lady Chapel of Ely Cathedral, built in the 14$^{\mathrm{th}}$ century, is considered one of the greatest architectural achievements of medieval England. The Lady Chapel is a semi-independent space connected to the north of the cathedral choir. Its interior is a great example of the Decorated Gothic style, being also the largest Lady Chapel and one of the widest stone vaulted spaces in England. This work presents the study of the acoustic behaviour of Ely Cathedral’s Lady Chapel throughout history, which has been undertaken using both on-site measurements and simulation techniques. Three different acoustic models were created for the purpose of this work. The acoustic model of the Lady Chapel in its current state was adjusted and validated by taking as a reference a set of room impulse responses registered on site. Then, the model was carefully modified to recreate the acoustics of the space at different points in history: as it was in its origins, before being heavily damaged during the Reformation in the 16$^{\mathrm{th}}$ century; and when it was fully furnished to be used as the parish of Holy Trinity, as it remained until the beginning of the 20$^{\mathrm{th}}$ century. A comprehensive study is undertaken based on a comparative analysis of the acoustic parameters derived from the simulated room impulse responses, and the results are discussed focussing on the architectural alterations and the interior arrangement modifications undertaken to serve the great varieties of uses it has had over time.