Stone makes medieval journey

A man dressed as a medieval monk offers a trade for the limestone

Eels and rabbits were bartered on a waterway in Cambridgeshire on Thursday as part of the re-enactment of the medieval route for building materials.

A huge block of stone is being transported by barge from Wansford near Peterborough to Ely, where it will be installed in the town's Jubilee Gardens.

The chunk of Lincolnshire limestone, weighing more than 6.5 tonnes, was loaded from a lorry onto the barge to make its journey along the River Nene.

Representatives from the monks of Ely and Peterborough negotiated for the stone through the barter of rabbits and eels on the riverbank.

The town's Mayor, Shirley Overall, said: "We wanted to do it as it would have been done many centuries ago.

"We decided this was the way to do it to make it authentic."

She said the stone - which is nearly the size of an automobile - is the same material as those used for Ely Cathedral, and is being transported in the same manner as the stones used to build the historic edifice.

It is scheduled to complete its journey on Sunday for installation on Monday.