New study confirms thriving medieval Jewish community in York

Fascinating research into the city of York’s medieval Jewish community has uncovered new evidence that suggests some of its leading citizens were also some of the most important figures in England at the time.

The massacre of the city’s Jews in 1190 remains one of the most horrendous examples of the mistreatment of the community in this country’s history.

But new research, conducted by the University of York’s Heritage360 Streetlife project has produced evidence of a community that went on to thrive post-1190 during medieval times.

The homes of two individuals Leo Episcopus, and  his son-in-law Aaron of York, have been located where local Boots and Next stores stand today on the west side of York’s Coney Street, backing on to the river. 

The study suggests Leo and Aaron both served as chief representatives of the whole Jewish community of England, and in the 1230s and 1240s Aaron was considered to be the richest man in the country.

Aaron’s nephew Josce le Jovene is also believed to have lived where a Waterstones store is located now.

Digital reconstructions help present a picture of what life looked like back then.

Howard Duckworth, Warden of the York Synagogue, said: “The amount of new information that has been uncovered by the team is truly inspiring and has now been recognised by Jews, not only in the UK, but across the world.

“We have discovered a totally new history of Jews in York, which for many years has been overshadowed by the massacre at Clifford’s Tower. This research is so much more, a real history anyone can relate to. When you walk through York now, you see York with totally different eyes, thanks to the team for all their work.”

Houses originally built by Christian landlords were leased to the Jews, and would have been indistinguishable from the other houses on the street where the chief Christian citizens of York lived. 

Aaron’s house had a synagogue in its back plot, but this would not have been visible from the street.
Coney Street was an important commercial high street, and the range of shops depicted include a clothier, leather worker, vintner, goldsmith, baker, and apothecary.

Charters from Durham Cathedral Archives show how Aaron of York cooperated with the senior clergy of York Minster in purchasing the large stone building which became the city’s Guildhall, ensuring that the city had a central meeting-place and contributing greatly to York’s civic history. 

Significantly, wew research has also pinpointed for the first time the exact locations of the houses of the two leading members of the pre-1190 Jewish community, Josce and Benedict, on Fossgate and Colliergate respectively. 

This changes the understanding of where the city’s first synagogue would have been, and where the noted Rabbi Yom Tov would have taught, which was most likely on the south side of Fossgate.

Dr Louise Hampson, project lead at the University of York, said “The digital reconstructions offer an accessible visual interpretation of how the Jewish community lived side-by-side with their Christian neighbours, including on York’s most high-status medieval street.”

Dr John Jenkins, researcher on the project, added: “The research brought to light the ways in which Jews and Christians worked together for the common good of the city, playing a key role in the acquisition of the civic Guildhall as well as in the rebuilding of York Minster, both of which remain important civic assets to this day.”