Oliver Cromwell's House - ELY

Paul G.

If you can't find it, like me, then look for the Tourist Information Centre - it's there!!! Lovely staff on the desk. Brilliant audio guide so you can go at your own pace. Displays and informative without overloading you with detail. An important aspect of our history and I would highly recommend a visit when in Ely.

Daniel G.

Not only can you get Tourists Information here but you can take a tour of Oliver Cromwell’s home. This is why we stopped by to tour the home.

The cost is £7.50 per person which seems a bit pricey for the building size. It will take a little less than an hour to do the entire self tour. However what you learn about William makes up for it. You will get a hand speaker so you can hear about each part of the house. They did a very thorough job of explaining the man. You will learn that the changes he made to the country during his time were tremendous. Good or bad is up to your interpretation.

They do have a store to get some souvenirs or other knick knacks.

Side Note: If interested, see his statue outside of the Palace of Westminster (UK Parliament) that is facing towards Westminister Abbey in London.

James H.

It was a lovely place to learn about Cromwell's life and world with fun and interactive designs. The ticket price is 7.50 pounds, no student discount available, but it's well worth it if you are interested in the English Civil War or this man. The museum has made great efforts to recreate Cromwell's world. You can see Mrs Cromwell's recipes, dress in 17th century Puritans costumes, and write in Cromwell's style with the help of stencils. Near the end of the tour, you can also cast a vote on whether Cromwell was a hero or villain--with musket ball!

AJC 0.

lovely building of an important historical figure but not much there if you don’t want the tour. Shame there’s no student discount. But a must visit if you’re here

JF L.

Visited Ely on the way back from a weekend away. All the town car parks are free in Ely though restricted by duration of stay from Monday to Saturday.

Oliver Cromwell house is a few minutes walk from the town centre or cathedral. It is easy to locate by following the town signs.

You are provided with an audio guide which you press the corresponding number as you move around the house. There is a short intro video when you move to the first room.

There are various props you can try on including heavy copper armour helmets.

Definitely worth a visit in Ely if you are interested in learning more about Oliver Cromwell and his role in English history, its approx 1 hour duration of you listen to the audio guide.

1 star deducted as no toilet facilities and no disabled access as they are several flights steps throughout the house.

Richard A.

An enjoyable experience and I like the way they leave you to decide if he was a villain or hero. There isn’t a great deal of rooms to see inside, you are visiting knowing you’re inside an old home of Oliver Cromwell, theres lots of reading material though and you can sit at his office desk, I’m pretty sure it’s not the actual desk he owned though. The gift shop has a nice selection of items enticing you to part with more money and the staff are all helpful and friendly. Quite a few steps to navigate once inside so if you have mobility issues you’ll really struggle to get around

Thomas M. (.

Oliver Cromwell's House in Ely is the only surviving home of the British "Lord Protector", he lived in it for ten years (1643-1653). It is a small museum which aims to recreate how Cromwell lived during this time, and does a pretty good job of it. This isn't a huge place, so it will not occupy visitors for much more than an hour. The audio guide you get at the front desk (UKP 6.50 for an adult ticket) is very helpful, make sure to use it. As you walk through the rooms you'll get a nice sense of the place and the history behind it, though the means of "immersion" and "interactivity" are very limited indeed. Most of the time you'll be listening to the audio guide or reading the info posters on the walls. A brief video at the start will give you some info on the man's life. Worth a visit if you're in Ely anyway (the marvellous Ely Cathedral) is just a short walk away). Also, make sure to have a quick look at Cromwell's community church, St. Mary', right next door.

Ionut A. M.

An interesting small museum. Worth visiting just for the information received during the tour.