Old Jewry
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Old Jewry is the name of a street in the City of London, in Coleman Street Ward, linking Gresham Street with "The Poultry".
According to Rev. Moses Margoliouth "Old Jewry" was a ghetto. William the Conqueror brought Jews from Rouen to England in 1066. A "mikveh" (ritual bath) was discovered nearby under the "State Bank of India" by archaeologists in 2001. It was located on the corner of Gresham street and Milk Street.It would have fallen into disuse after 1290, when the Jews were expelled from England.
On the west side of Old Jewry is St. Olave Old Jewry. Only the tower of this church survives. When it was destroyed in 1887, a Roman pavement and vases were discovered. "Jewen Street", not far away, off Aldersgate, still existed in 1722. According to Chambers encyclopedia, this was the only permitted burial ground for Jews. It is therefore reasonable to suppose that the Jewish quarter in 13th century London extended from Jewen Street in the north, by St Giles-without-Cripplegate, to Poultry in the south.
There was a Presbyterian chapel in Old Jewry in 1796. Richard Price preached here. Thomas Rowlandson was born here in 1756. The street now contains mainly financial companies.
