Church group to remember a Shropshire town's shameful history

In 1274 under the reign of Edward I, growing antisemitism in England led to a number of expulsions in towns of their Jewish inhabitants.

Expulsions took place in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Warwick, Wycombe, Northamptonshire, Newbury, Derby, Romsey, Winchelsea, Windsor as well as Bridgnorth in Shropshire, which had a large Jewish population.

Bridgnorth historian Clive Gwilt has documents translated form Latin describing the expulsion in the town, which suggest that the Jewish community were driven by the town's 13th century residents.

“They had also been expelled from Bridgnorth at the insistence of the towns-people in 1274, but to that town the people complained shortly afterwards 'they still have their repair, three or four days in the week, because they own a house in the town',” his documents say.

“Even though they had been expelled from Bridgnorth they were still returning to lend money, although they were not allowed to stay there more than a few days at a time.”

Increasing antisemitism over the next few years saw Jews were expelled other towns in England, and by 1290, all Jews were expelled from the country after Edward I signed The Edict of Expulsion.

Now the Churches Conservation Trust is organising a commemoration service at St Leonard's Church in Bridgnorth to mark the 750th anniversary of the expulsion of Jews from the town, which is being supported by the  Jewish Representative Council of Birmingham and the West Midlands.

Organiser William King said: "We first have evidence of Jewish people in Bridgnorth in 1267 when two families pay Henry III for permission to live in the town. Bridgnorth was never an officially recognised place of residence for Jews, so they needed special permission to stay there. We have various mentions of Jewish people living and working in the town until, they were expelled on 2nd October 1274. This expulsion is interesting for two reasons:

"It was the last of the localised expulsions of Jews from towns in England. These had begun in 1232. It was one of the first decisions made by Edward I regarding Jews. He had only returned to England as king exactly two 2 months earlier on 2nd August 1274. The following year he expelled all Jews from the towns belonging to his mother and then the whole community in 1290.

"We know that Jews continued to stay in Bridgnorth despite the ban well into 1275. Miles Son of Isaac sold property there in June of that year to meet his debts to Edward.

"So the Bridgnorth expulsion marks a significant moment in the history of medieval Anglo-Jewry. The anniversary this year falls on Erev Rosh Hashana, so we are having the event on the previous Sunday. It is being held at St Leonard's Church, which traces its origins back to the 12th century. The current building has been substantially rebuilt, but the original structure would have been known to the medieval Jewish residents."

The commemoration takes place on Sunday, September 29 at 11:30am at St Leonards Church, Bridgnorth

Anybody who wishes to attend should contact William King on: yizkor1991@yahoo.co.uk