Archaeologists uncover foundations of the medieval cellar wallsBelow the 19th and 20th century buildings, archaeologists discovered a large cellar from a medieval building. It was finely built and some evidence of its thick mortared chalk footings remains, along with a small section of the original stone blocks. The cellar presumably belonged to a substantial property fronting what is now Jewry Street. Interestingly the property boundaries of Numbers 19 and 20 are still aligned on these medieval boundaries.

A small section of the original stone blocksThis was a prosperous area of the town between the late 11th and 14th centuries, known as ‘Scowrtenestret’ (Shoemakers’ Street), and later ‘Gywerystrete’. Although frequently referred to as Vicus Judeorum or Jewry street from the 13th century, the centre of the medieval Jewish community was nearer the western end of the present High Street. Documents from the fifteenth century list the occupants of the three medieval properties on the site. Amongst them were weavers, labourers, poor men, carpenters, a book binder, a tinker and a widow.