A street called Old Jewry, which runs between Poultry and Gresham Street not far from Guildhall, was the heart of London’s Jewish ghetto in medieval times. There is evidence that Jews resided in London from the early Saxon period. Edward the Confessor’s laws mentioned them as being under the king’s protection. And William the Conqueror invited to England many Jews from Rouen, some of whom settled in London. Apparently, they had peace up to the reign of Stephen (1135–54) when the king, unfortunately urged on by certain of the clergy, exacted various fines. During this time vicious rumours began to be circulated regarding their supposed blasphemous rites. Henry II (1154–89) granted the Jews cemeteries outside the towns, though he too levied fines and banishments.
Richard I (1189–99) was responsible for at least two massacres of the Jews, though later he established a tribunal for them. John (1199–1216), with characteristic wickedness, tortured, blinded and imprisoned thousands of Jews who did not pay the huge sums he demanded. All through the long reign of Henry III (1216–72) and on into the beginning of the reign of Edward I (1272–1307) the Jews suffered periodic persecution, indignity, torture and the cruellest of deaths, especially when the crown was in need of money.
Finally, in the year 1290, some 15,000 or more Jews left England by ship, abandoning houses and other possessions which were seized by the king. Even this did not bring peace at last to some of the sons of Abraham. They were betrayed by sailors and left ashore, where they were put to death miserably. The Jews did not come back to England for some 400 years, when some began to return during the Commonwealth under Oliver Cromwell.