Old Synagogue

The Old Synagogue stands in Canterbury, Kent, on King Street. Built in 1848, it is the finest surviving synagogue in the Egyptian Revival style in Britain. The architect was Hezekiah Marshall, who laid the cornerstone with Sir Moses Montefiore in 1847. Its Portland cement walls give the appearance of granite, and lotus-leaf capitals crown the columns at the entrance. Inside, a central bimah and a women’s balcony supported by Egyptian obelisks remain intact. The mikveh behind the building is the only Egyptian Revival ritual bath known to exist. The building reflects Canterbury’s long Jewish history. Jews first settled in the city in 1160, trading corn, wool and banking services. Despite medieval pogroms and the 1290 Edict of Expulsion, the community left its mark on Jewry Lane. A new congregation formed in 1720, worshipping in a smaller building until the railway required its demolition in 1846. By the early 20th century, declining numbers led to the synagogue’s closure around 1911. Today, The King’s School uses the building as a music recital hall. The school allows its Jewish society to hold informal Friday evening Shabbat meetings there. Occasional services and celebrations, including a wedding and Passover Seders, took place until 2004. The simple rectangular structure, measuring about twelve by eight metres with a nine-metre height, still shows its original features.