Archaeological excavations at the historic Bevis Marks synagogue in London have made discoveries dating back to ancient Roman times.
The excavations, mainly under the annex of the synagogue, are part of a project to improve access to the synagogue, built in 1701 and the oldest synagogue in the UK, and establish a heritage center and exhibition on its more than 300-year history.
The synagogue, a Grade I listed building administered by the Spanish and Portuguese Sephardi Community, earlier this year received £497,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund to carry out renovation and other work on the project that had been hampered by the COVID 19 pandemic.
In an update announcement this week, Howard Martin, Chair of the Bevis Marks Heritage Foundation, said the discoveries included parts of a red brick Roman wall as well as a medieval wall. The area of London where Bevis Marks is located comprised the ancient Roman city called Londinium.
Other finds include what may have been part of an 18th century heating system for the synagogue, as well as piece of red “Samian Ware” pottery dating from Roman times, and “various animal bones.”
The synagogue’s rabbi Shalom Morris told the Jewish Chronicle that some of the discoveries may “find their way into some kind of display cabinet in the final heritage centre” and that other finds, such as the ancient walls, have been preserved and will remain in place “for future discovery.”