Dr Dean Irwin, our visiting fellow, is a leading scholar on the Anglo-Jewry in the Middle Ages. He is a member of the advisory board of the Jewish Historical Society of England and a board member of the MedievalJewishStudiesNow! blog. He also advised Professor Wilkinson on the ‘Jewish Life in the Middle Ages: Lincoln and Beyond Project’, funded by the 2023 QR Collaborations scheme at the University of Lincoln in partnership with the Lincolnshire Archives, for which Simon Neal produced a hand list of documents relating to the medieval Anglo-Jewry in the Lincolnshire Archives. Dr Irwin is currently working with Joshua Outhwaite, Tash Jenman and Luka Liu on a new research initiative to reconstruct the lives of Lincoln’s Jews, employing the extant records. Regular updates from the group can be found on ‘X’ by clicking here. The group also publish their findings here.
Insights on Medieval Jewish Property Ownership in Lincoln
As one of the major centres of the life of medieval Anglo-Jewry, a number of properties in medieval Lincoln were once owned by the Jews, and their locations can be traced today. The site of The Cardinal’s Hat, a pub located on the High Street, for example, was once owned by Josce of Colchester in the mid-thirteenth century.
Our first blog (below) has shown the biography of Ursell Levy, who once owned properties in the parish of St. Mark. Details of this, and other properties which were owned by Jews at the time of the Expulsion can be established from an inquisition conducted in the city in October 1290, as well as the subsequent grants by Hugh of Kendal (TNA C 67/4). This list contains the Christian grantee, the former Jewish owner, the location of the property, its value, as well as the annual fines to the Exchequer. The list serves as an invaluable source to reconstruct the once-thriving Jewish presence within the city. Collectively the entries allow us to map the distribution of the Jewish properties to their new owners after the 1290 Expulsion. Through this, we may build up a picture of where Jews lived, worked, and worshipped alongside their Christian neighbours.
As members of our research group have found from the list in combination with the relevant memoranda rolls, the details of the pre-expulsion Jewish properties are displayed in the chart below. To better understand the layout of these properties, a map of parishes in medieval Lincoln is also provided below here (created by Tash Jenman).
As illustrated in the map above, six Jewish properties were located in the parish of St. George, 3 in St Martin’s and three in St Cuthbert’s, St Michael’s and St John’s respectively. These five parishes were located in the heart of the medieval city of Lincoln, further highlighting the significant Jewish presence within the city centre, near the High Street and the Brancegate, whereas two properties were located in the parish of St Benedict outside the city walls. This concentration of properties underscores the central position of the Jewish community in medieval Lincoln. The presence of Jewish-owned properties in key parishes underscores the importance of the Jewish community in Lincoln’s historical narrative. It also suggests a level of embeddedness within the Christian majority population. We know that Jews and Christians engaged in daily exchanges, whether in marketplaces, through trade, or via shared public spaces such as communal wells and streets.
Besides the positions of these Jewish properties, the Jewish owners documented, one worthing noticing is Benedict of London because his property in St. Benedict’s Parish was valued at 40s, the highest valued property of Jews in Lincoln. The Christian who later took over Benedict’s possession after the 1290 Expulsion was Robert le Venour, the keeper of the City of Lincoln. Robert le Venour was also granted the properties of Hagin, son of Benedict in the parish of St Martin, and of Benedict le Comte in the parish of St John.
The second-highest on the list is the property of Floria of London valued at 28s in St. Martin’s Parish, and the third is that of Belaset of Wallingford, two medieval Anglo-Jewish women. Their prominence sheds light on the economic roles that Jewish women could play in medieval society through the active participation of Jewish women in property ownership and financial activities, which is also highlighted in recent academic works.[i] Still, little is known about their story in Lincoln yet, but the research group will continue completing biographies, and see if this could shed new light on the experience of medieval Anglo-Jewish women.
In short, the detailed records of Jewish property ownership in medieval Lincoln provide valuable insights into the community’s economic and social roles. These properties were not just assets but integral parts of the urban fabric, highlighting the Jewish community’s embeddedness within the broader city life. Additionally, the prominence of Jewish women in property ownership challenges traditional historical narratives and opens up new avenues for understanding gender roles in medieval society. Figures like Floria of London and Belaset of Wallingford exemplify the active participation of Jewish women in economic activities, suggesting a more nuanced view of medieval gender dynamics.
In future, our research group is committed to continuing this investigation to restore a comprehensive understanding of Jewish life in medieval Lincoln. We aim to investigate deeper into the lives of notable individuals such as Benedict of London and Floria of London, as well as the Christians with whom they interacted, like Robert le Venour. By reconstructing their biographies, we hope to illuminate their personal and economic contributions to the city. We also hope to create more detailed maps of Jewish properties, incorporating additional data to better understand the spatial distribution and economic significance of these properties within the medieval urban landscape. By continuing to explore these historical documents and integrating various sources of information, our research group aspires to restore a fuller picture of the once-thriving Jewish presence in Lincoln. This ongoing work will contribute to a more nuanced and comprehensive understanding of medieval Anglo-Jewry, emphasizing their significant and enduring impact on the city’s history.
[i] See Hannah Meyer, ‘Female Moneylending and Wet-Nursing in Jewish-Christian Relations in Thirteenth-Century England’, PhD diss. University of Cambridge, 2009. See also Emma Cavell, ‘The Measure of Her Actions: A Quantitative Assessment of Anglo-Jewish Women’s Litigation at the Exchequer of the Jews, 1219–81’, Law and History Review, 39, 1 (2021), 135–72; Adrienne Williams Boyarin, The Christian Jew and the Unmarked Jewess: The Polemics of Sameness in Medieval English Anti-Judaism (Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2021) for more on medieval Anglo-Jewish women.
Lincoln Jews Biography #1: Ursell Levy by Dr Dean Irwin
When the inquisition into property which was held by Jews in Lincoln was conducted in late October 1290, the first property listed belonged to Ursell Levy (TNA E 101/249/27 no. 27). Valued at 8s per annum, with 1d to be paid to both the king and Osbert le Lung (a prominent member of the Lincoln civic community). On 27 December 1290, it became the first Lincoln property to be granted to a Christian, with a letter patent conveying it to Adam Cokerel of Lincoln (TNA C 67/4 m.4). From the grant, we also learn that Ursell was ‘of Wigford’ (de Wickeford) and that his house was in the parish of St. Mark the Evangelist. In a modern context, this places it to the west of the train station, on the High Street. In addition to an initial payment, Adam was to pay 1d per annum at the Exchequer via the hand of the Sheriff. This was part of the set of payments which continued to be collected at the Exchequer until they were granted to the Mayor and Citizens of Lincoln in 1466 by Edward IV, and confirmed by Richard III in 1484.
The sources allow us to outline a basic genealogy for Ursell (fig. 1). He can have been born no later than mid-1256 on account of the fact that his father, Sampson Levy, was one of those who was executed in relation to the Little Hugh of Lincoln case (Fine Rolls of Henry III, no. 1263). This date cannot be refined further because he does not appear in the records before 1274. A date of birth in the 1240s, or early 1250s, would be the most likely, placing him in his forties or fifties at the time of the Expulsion. Possibly, he appears in the records under a different name prior to the 1270s but, if so, those references cannot now be connected to him. He had a brother called Jacob, and possibly (although not certainly) a second brother called Abraham. Just as tenuously, he might also have had a son called Elias, although further work will be required to confirm this.
Figure 1: Possible Levy family genealogy.
When Ursell does appear in the records, we get the impression of somebody of reasonable standing in the community. In 1274, the Jews of Lincoln brought a case of trespass against eleven (named) Christians, with Ursell being one of three named Jews tasked with bringing the case on behalf of the community at the Exchequer of the Jews. The nature of the trespass has not yet been established, in part because the case did not proceed because of the Jews essoined themselves, with an excuse for absence. When they failed to appear again in mid-October, the case fell through on the grounds of default of prosecution (PREJ, ii, p. 208). A separate case in October again saw Ursell fail to appear, and he was placed in mercy for default of prosecution (PREJ, ii, p. 201). His sureties in this case – Isaac son of Ursell and Manser of Stamford – also failed to produce him. As such, they were similarly placed in mercy (PREJ, ii, p. 205). Ursell was also sufficiently important to stand as surety for other members of the community, as with Cresse son of Diaye in the summer of 1275 (PREJ, ii, p. 293).
Unfortunately, Ursell, like so many English Jews, was caught up in the coin-clipping trials at the end of 1278-9. This saw the Jews falsely accused of clipping the king’s coinage, and hundreds of Jews were executed on this charge. Although not hanged, his property was forfeited and granted to Alexander of London on 12 May 1281 (ChR, p. 249). Here the property is described as being worth 8s, with 1d per annum in rents. Although we are unable to locate his property, he again held a property worth 8s in Wigford at the time of the Expulsion (above). This was, apparently, a different property.
Ursell’s legal difficulties persisted in the following decade, as can be seen from payments in Eleanor of Castile’s Queen’s Gold* account (TNA E 101/505/18). In June or July 1286, six payments were made, of which three can be confidently identified as Ursell Levy, with two payments (4d and 5d) for nonappearance (probably at the Exchequer of the Jews), and one payment (13s 4d) for transgressions against the money – presumably a debt still being paid after 1279. Three more payments may also relate to Ursell, but only cite ‘Ursell son of Sampson’ with payments totalling 1s for failing to bring a prosecution.
Ursell is most visible in the sources through his business activities, having operated first as a moneylender and, after the Statute of the Jewry (1275), dealing in commodities. In 1281, for example, the sheriff of Lincolnshire was ordered to distrain Hugh son of Nicholas Munde of Lincoln for non-payment of debt (PREJ, vi, p. 262). Equally, he held eight debts in the Lincoln archa at the time of the expulsion (TNA E 101/250/12). These show that Ursell had largely moved to dealing in commodities by the 1280s, although there is a single monetary transaction. A pattern emerges in relation to the commodity transactions. When Ursell was dealing in cereal, he worked alone. Conversely, there are four transactions in wool, all of which were lent in partnership with another Jew – usually his brother Jacob. This may well have been to pool the resources necessary for larger investments, with a view to sharing both risks and rewards. It also highlights the role of familial relations in medieval Anglo-Jewish business transactions. This one snapshot of Ursell’s business activities shows him to have been a man of means, with investments totalling more than £76!
Ursell was neither the richest, nor the most influential, member of the Lincoln Jewry. Such is the wealth of the sources, however, that we can reconstruct his business in the last quarter of the thirteenth century. As will be seen in subsequent biographies, this is the rule, rather than the exception, at least for the Lincoln Jewry.
* Natasha Jenman is preparing an analysis of the Lincolnshire entries in the queen’s gold accounts as part of the project.
This biography is presented as a draft. As the project progresses, it may become necessary to update as more evidence comes to light. Any suggestions, corrections, and additions are most welcome and can be sent to DIrwin@lincoln.ac.uk
Reference Abbreviations:
TNA = The National Archives.
E = Exchequer
PREJ = Plea Rolls of the Exchequer of the Jews (volume given)
The Records for Lincoln’s Jews in 1290
The Lincoln Jewry was one of the oldest Jewish communities in medieval England. Established during the so-called ‘Anarchy’ of King Stephen’s reign (1135-54), it quickly became a leading centre of Jewish communal, business, and intellectual life in England. In seeking to identify the personnel of the community, and reconstruct biographies of them, we have chosen to take the end of the community’s history as our starting point. On 18 July 1290, Edward I promulgated the Edict of Expulsion, which required that all Jews leave the England by All Saints Day (1 November). Although they were given safe conducts to the ports, and affordable passage out of the country (for themselves and their possessions) anything which remained defaulted to the Crown. The Valor Judaismus documents, as Robin Mundill termed them, detail the nature and extent of Jewish debts and property holdings. A scrutiny roll, summarising the particulars of all the debts which were held in the Lincoln archa, a has been preserved (TNA E 101/250/12). Equally, details of those properties which were held by Jews in Lincoln at the time of the Expulsion. It is this latter evidence that we have taken as out starting point. Inevitably, this provides an incomplete list of Jewish property holdings 1290. Some Jews will have obtained a licence to sell their property during the Summer of 1290, while others will be omitted for various reasons. Even so, this provides a fixed point at which we can establish the identities of at least some Jews who held property in Lincoln at the time of the Expulsion. These are also the most likely individuals to appear in other records series which be explored in the future to reconstruct the lives (or, at least, careers) of the individuals.
In the weeks before the Expulsion, the Crown began the process of valuing the property which was about to come into its hands. On 12 September, at Nottingham, Robert Burnell (Edward I’s chancellor) handed a writ ‘for extending the houses and tenements of the Jews of Lincoln’ to a clerk of the sheriff of Lincolnshire (CCR, p. 145). This was followed, on 4 October, by a series of orders to the sheriffs, witnessed by the treasurer. These primarily deal with the archae (and so will be dealt with by us at a later date) but they also instructed that the sheriffs inquire into the extent and value of property in Jewish hands. The order to the sheriff of Lincolnshire has survived (TNA E 101/249/27, no. 25), as has the return from Lincoln (TNA E 101/249/27 no. 27). Although undated, this was conducted by a jury of twelve local people, probably in late October. The 4 October order required that the sheriff appear at Westminster on the quindene of St Martin (25 November) to account for the value of the property. Given that, in 1290, 25th fell on a Sunday that was, presumably done on 26th. This was presumably the source by which Jewish property at each centre was entered onto a central list (TNA E 101/249/30, Lincoln: mm. 3–3d).
There was something of a lull in activity in the month the immediate aftermath of the Expulsion while this process was underway. This changed with the appointment, on 20 December 1290, of Hugh of Kendal to ‘value and sell all the houses, rents and tenements which late belonged to the king’s Jews’ (CPR, p. 410). A week later, on 27 December, Lincoln was listed in Hugh’s valuation as having Jewish property worth £173 (TNA E 101/249/1). Thereafter, he set about divesting this resource with gusto. Helpfully, a list which provides details of those grants in summary has been preserved (TNA C 67/4). This typically provides the name of the Christian grantee, and former Jewish owner, the location of the property (town, parish, and sometimes street), and value of the grant. The first grants came on 27 December 1290 but it was not until 15 January 1291 that the first grant of Lincoln property was issued, followed by one grant on 20 January, seven grants on 20 February, four grants on 27 March, and one grant on 10 April (TNA C 67/4 mm. 4, 3). It took the Crown less than six months to divest itself of Jewish property in Lincoln. Taken together, the former Jewish properties in Lincolnshire (both Lincoln and Stamford) were sold for £141 (JMR, no. 1221). The annual rents for the property continued to be paid for a considerable time. As late as 15 February 1466, Edward IV granted these ‘diverse small sums exacted yearly at the Exchequer’ to the mayor and citizens of Lincoln (CCR, pp. 499-500). This was confirmed by Richard III on 14 November 1484 (Birch, pp. 138-42).
Reference abbreviations:
- Birch = Walter de Gray Birch, The Royal Charters of the City of Lincoln (Cambridge, 1911).
- CCR = Calendar of Close Rolls.
- CPR = Calendar of Patent Rolls.
- JMR = Medieval English Jews and Royal Officials: Entries of Jewish Interest in the English Memoranda Rolls, 1266-1293, ed. and trans. Zefira Entin Rokéah (Jerusalem, 2000).
- TNA = The National Archives.
- E = Exchequer.
- C = Chancery.