A hidden medieval Jewish cemetery, once believed to be lost, has been rediscovered beneath the Barbican Estates in London, close to the remnants of an ancient wall within the Thomas More Garden. The Barbican cemetery and surrounding buildings had been destroyed by the Nazis during World War II, and when the Barbican residential complex was built starting in the 1960s it was constructed directly over where the cemetery had once stood.
The burial ground has been dated back (1066-1157) to the early Norman period, making it the first Jewish cemetery in England. It remained in use until the expulsion of Jews from England in 1290, after which the site was desecrated and fell into neglect.
The Jewish Square Mile Project: A Cultural Revival
The project to rediscover the cemetery was spearheaded by the Jewish Square Mile project, a volunteer group founded by Howard and Gaby Morris, reports The Metro UK. After hearing long-standing rumors of the cemetery, the couple dedicated themselves to finding it.
They were drawn to the stories shared by Father Jack Noble of St Giles Cripplegate, an ancient church within the Barbican, who gathered a group of Jewish residents to investigate whether the burial ground existed and, if so, to find its exact location.
Outline of hidden Jewish cemetery overlaid on modern map of Barbican Estates. (Liebelsch/CC BY-SA 4.0)
The Jewish Square Mile project now includes individuals from across the spectrum. This diverse group consists of a medieval historian and writer,…
