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Knaresborough Synagogue
Sid Bradley
The few records concerning the site of the Synagogue in
Jockey Lane are intriguing. First of all Jockey Lane was
previously known as Bare-foot Lane and, also Ten-faith Lane,
in acknowledgement of the site of the Synagogue whose gates
opened into the lane. There is a footpath on the site, leading
to the Market Square, which is shown on old maps as Synagogue
Yard.
Hargrove's History of Knaresborough reads as follows:-
"JOCKEY LANE
So called from the circumstance of a horse-dealers stables
being here. It had anciently two other appellations, viz.
Barefoot Lane, and Ten-faith-Lane; which names I apprehend
were given to it in consequence of the Jew's synagogue, which
formerly stood hereabouts, the gates of which opened into
the lane. About the year 1768, Mr Christopher Walton, owner
of the place, discovered, in digging the foundations of a
building here, a wall of hewn stone, four feet thick, resting
on a foundation of brick, of the same thickness; the lime
adhered so strongly to the bricks that they could not be
separated without breaking to pieces. These foundations range
close to the right hand side of the path, leading through
the synagogue-yard to the market-place. It is probable that
this building was destroyed in the first year of the reign
of Richard I when no less than fifteen hundred of these miserable
people were massacred at York, besides great numbers in other
places, who fell by the hands of an infatuated, and brutal
populace. Notwithstanding these severe outrages, they soon
became again very numerous in different parts of the kingdom,
but were finally banished this country in the year 1290,
to the number of sixteen thousand five hundred and eleven.
AD 1738 A Jewish phylactery was found in the castle of
Knaresborough, with an inscription in hebrew, which was preserved
in the manuscripts of Roger Gale esq, and is a recital of
part of the sixth chapter of Deuteronomy, viz. from the beginning
of the fourth verse, to the end of the ninth."
A copy of the 1890 map of the site showing Synagogue Yard
connecting Jockey Lane with the Market Place and buildings
which have since disappeared
A reference to the Synagogue in the earliest directory of
1820, is in the name of a William Ruthven a Boot and Shoe-maker.
In the cities of Western Europe, after the eleventh century,
particular streets and enclosed places were assigned to the
Jewish population. In consequence of which, in the persecutions
during the Crusades, thousands often fell victims at once
to the popular fury. Decrees of Councils and the ordinance
of secular rulers repeatedly denied the Jews the civil rights
of Christians and of holding public office. Nowhere could
they live amongst Christian citizens, nor be attached to
any guild or corporation.
In Knaresborough it would seem that the confines of Jockey
Lane, with its access to the Market Place, conformed to these
requirements as a centre for the Knaresborough Jewish community.
Before the library was built an exploration of the site
was made by Dr. Peter Addyman the Archeologist. No medieaval
foundations were discovered except for a well.
I tried to find out if there was a standard plan for a Jewish
Synagogue in the middle ages, but without success. However,
by reading up The Bible, concordance and various references
etc., a good idea can be formed of what might have existed.
The origin of the Synagogue seems to have been in the Babylonian
captivity, sited on the high ground outside the city or village.
Plan The Synagogues were so constructed that the
worshippers, as they entered and as they prayed, looked towards
Jerusalem. At the extreme East End was the Holy Ark, containing
copies of the Pentateuch. In front of this was the raised
platform for the reader or preacher. The men sat on one side
of the synagogue and the women on the other side, a partition
five or six feet high separating them. The chief seats were
at the east end.
Until Soloman's Temple was completed in 1000 BC a Tabernacle
was used. This was a tent or temporary building, made to
be carried from place to place. Whilst in the wilderness
it was called the Tabernacle of the Congregation. It was
forty five feet long and twenty one feet wide. A curtain
divided it into two apartments, the eastern one being called
the Most Holy Place, being fifteen feet square. Within The
Holy Place stood the altar of incense, the candlestick and
the table of shrew bread Within the Holy of Holies was the
Ark of the Covenant with its Mercy Seat.
Sketch map of the synagogue area in relation to today's buildings.
Sid Bradley
The Ark of the Covenant was a small chest or coffer, three
feet nine inches in length, two feet three inches in breadth
and height, in which was contained the golden pot that had
Manna, Aaron's Rod and the Tables of the Covenant
The constitution of the Synagogue was congregational, not
priestly, and the office bearers were not hereditary. A college
of the elders, presided over by one who was the ruler of
the Synagogue, managed its affairs, and possessed the power
of excommunication. The officiating Minister was the chief
reader of the prayers, the law, the prophets etc.
The modern Synagogue differs little from the ancient. Instead
of elders there is a committee of management; and the women
are now provided with seats in a gallery
I have come to believe that the actual site of the Synagogue
fronted on to Jockey Lane, at the rear of Mr George Heapy's
premises. The dimensions of the original Tabernacle neatly
fit into the space, with Synagogue Yard at one side leading
to the Market Place. On the sketch plan showing existing
buildings, the Tabernacle or Synagogue has been plotted with
four feet thick walls, as the building would have to be a
strong refuge as well as a place of worship.
When I point out the site to Jewish visitors they become
not only interested, but excited. It might be possible to
have a plaque placed on the wall of the public library at
the Market Place end of Synagogue Yard.
Sid Bradley ©1996
FOOTNOTE The Jewish Authorities say the figures quoted by Hargrove are
very exaggerated, both at York and at the banishment. S.B.
Further Researches on the Knaresborough Synagogue
by Murray Freedman
Archaeological opinion is that the ruins found by Hargrove
could not have predated the 16th century, yet it is known
that prior to the expulsion in 1290, no new synagogues
were allowed to be built in England after 1222. It is,
in any case, hardly likely that a small place like Knaresborough,
with a medieval population only in the hundreds, would
have had a Jewish community large enough to justify a substantial
stone built synagogue. A room of one of the dwellings on
Synagogue Yard was probably utilised as the synagogue.
There
were more than 120 Jewish communities in medieval England
but Knaresborough is mentioned in only one of the sources.
Fortunately, two names of Jews of Knaresborough are recorded;
Manser and Brunne fil Manaser (who may have been father
and son), with the date 1262 attached to one of them (Manser
and Manaser were the English medieval forms of the Hebrew
name Menashe). The persistence of the name of the alleyway
as Synagogue Yard or Lane, and the discovery of the phylactery
in the castle, would suggest that there is no doubt that
there was a Jewish community in the town, though very little
is known about it. There is evidence that Knaresborough
was a munitions centre in the 13th century; it manufactured
'quarrels' i.e. the special arrows shot by crossbows. It
is possible that Jews were attracted to the town to help
the financial transactions associated with that 'industry',
but, other than the two names, everything about this medieval
Jewish community remains a mystery.
Mr Freedman also notes that: "the only book on medieval
Anglo-Jewry I have found that mentions Knaresborough (by
Dr. Robin Mundill) states that in the year 1275, the Statutum
de Judeismo (Statute
of Jews) was issued which required all Jews to live
only in towns where archae were situated. (Archae were
the depositories of the official documents relating to the
financial transactions of the Jews). 1275 may therefore be
the date when the Knaresborough community was dissolved with
its members probably moving to York - the nearest city with archae."
Murray Freedman has written an essay on the subject
of the Knaresborough Synagogue which forms part of a published
collection entitled 'Essays on Leeds & Anglo-Jewish
History & Demography'. |
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