Tisha B’Av: The devastating story of an infamous massacre in Yorkshire

In March 1190 the city’s entire Jewish community was trapped by an angry mob in Clifford's Tower.

Around 150 people are thought to have died - the father of each family killed his wife and children, before taking his own life - rather than waiting to be killed or forcibly baptised.

Local schoolchildren grow up knowing about the massacre, which is still commemorated round the world in a lamentation recited on the fast day of Tisha B’Av.

However what has often been forgotten is that within two decades, the Jewish community was back living and working in the city, in mostly harmonious relations with their Christian neighbours.

The three leading citizens lived on Coney Street, with Leo Episcopus, where Boots is now, his son-in-law Aaron of York, where Next is, and Aaron’s nephew Josce le Jovene on the site of Waterstones and Fabrication.

Leo and Aaron both served as chief representative of the whole Jewish community of England, and in the 1230s and 40s Aaron was considered to be the richest man in the country.

Dr John Jenkins, researcher for the University of York’s Heritage360 Streetlife project, said York was well known as a "forbidden" city in some Jewish circles, with particularly Orthodox groups even refusing to stay the night.

He said: "The 1190 massacre is quite a major part of York's story. It's also a huge part of Jewish history worldwide.

"There were no Jews in York in 1191.

"In the early 13th century King John takes Jews from Lincoln and puts them back in York to provide financial services to the city.

"The Mayor and other leading citizens who were in York in the 1210s took part in the 1190 massacre - Jews were coming into the city where their neighbours had taken part in the massacre 15 years previously, they must have been incredibly brave.

"You have this very harmonious cooperation and community relations between the Jews and Christians living in the centre of York.

"Aaron of York is instrumental in part purchasing the Guildhall for the use of the city. We think the Jews paid for one of the windows in York Minster.

"There were instances of Anti Semetism in the 13th century, but York seems one of the better places for Jews to be."

Based on new archival evidence, the team have created digital reconstructions of the houses originally built by Christian landlords, where Leo, Aaron and Josce lived.

Aaron’s house had a synagogue in its back plot, but this would not have been visible from the street. They have also identified the location of York’s first synagogue.

The digital models can be seen on a touchscreen in the project’s ‘Streetlife Hub’ at 29-31 Coney Street, York, until February 2024, together with an exhibition on the street’s Jewish history.

A video of the models can also be seen as an installation in the window of Fabrication, 19 Coney Street, in the city.