Jesmond Synagogue

Former Orthodox synagogue in Newcastle, England

Byzantine Revival
Art Deco

Date established1914 (as a congregation)Completed1915^[1]

Jesmond Synagogue, now known as Byzantine House, is a former Orthodox Jewish congregation and synagogue, located on Eskdale Terrace, in the Jesmond neighbourhood of Newcastle upon Tyne, in northeast England, in the United Kingdom. Established in 1914, the congregation worshiped in the Ashkenazi rite, until its closure in 1986.

The synagogue building was completed in 1915 and was used up until 1986, when a new synagogue building was completed in Culzean Park.^[1]

History

It was originally conceived as a branch of the Leazes Park Synagogue for families who had moved out of the city centre, and was founded in 1914 as an independent congregation.^[2]

The synagogue, on in Jesmond, was built in 1914–15 by Marcus Kenneth Glass in an Art Deco interpretation of Byzantine Revival style.^[3]

The porch has a triple arcade and columns with lotus bud capitals. A large, sunburst, stained-glass window fills the huge Byzantine arch of the facade. The brickwork is coursed with alternating beige and red stripes.^[4]

The synagogue was closed in 1986.^[5] The exterior was carefully conserved; the interior was gutted and renovated for use as a school.^[6] It formed part of the Newcastle High School for Girls until 2016, when approval was granted for its conversion into flats.^[7]^[8]

A commemorative plaque marking the building's previous use as a synagogue was unveiled in July 2019.^[9]

References

^ ^a ^b "The former Jesmond Hebrew Congregation". Jewish Communities and Records – UK. JewishGen and the Jewish Genealogical Society of Great Britain. 8 March 2024. Retrieved 3 May 2024.
^ "Jesmond Synagogue". The National Archives. Retrieved 8 July 2017.
^ "Historic Newcastle building transformed into 'luxury' residences in £2.5m restoration". B Daily.
^ Kadish, Sharman (2006). Jewish Heritage in England: an architectural guide. English Heritage. p. 187.
^ "Jesmond, Eskdale Terrace, Jesmond Synagogue". Newcastle City Council. Twsitelines.info. 3 April 1965. Retrieved 8 July 2017.
^ "Art role for ex-synagogue". The Journal. Newcastle, England. 25 May 2006.
^ Curtis, Andrew (n.d.). "Former Synagogue, Eskdale Road, Jesmond". Geograph Britain and Ireland. Retrieved 8 July 2017.
^ "Fancy living in this century-old former synagogue and school building?". Chronicle Live. Retrieved 18 March 2017.
^ "Commemorative plaque unveiled at former Jesmond Synagogue". Newcastle City Council.