Domus Conversorum

Domus Conversorum

The Domus Conversorum (House of the Converts) was a building and institution in London for Jews who had converted to Christianity. It provided a communal home and low wages. It was needed because all Jews who converted to Christianity forfeited all their possessions.[1]

It was established in 1253 by Henry III. With the expulsion of the Jews by Edward I in 1290, it became the only way for Jews to remain in the country. At that stage there were about eighty residents. By 1356, the last one of these died. Between 1331 to 1608, 48 converts were admitted. The warden was also Master of the Rolls.

The building was in Chancery Lane. No records exist after 1609, but, in 1891, the post of chaplain was abolished by Act of Parliament and the location, which had been used to store legal archives, became the Public Record Office.

"Domus Conversorum" was sometimes used also to describe the living quarters of lay brothers in monasteries.

External links

Coordinates: 51°30′54″N 0°06′40″W / 51.5149°N 0.1111°W / 51.5149; -0.1111


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать курсовую

Look at other dictionaries:

  • DOMUS CONVERSORUM — DOMUS CONVERSORUM, home for converted Jews in London, established in 1232 by Henry III in New Street (now Chancery Lane). It could accommodate about 40 persons and paid pensions to others who lived outside. The home was governed by a warden and… …   Encyclopedia of Judaism

  • domus conversorum — /dowmas konvarsoram/ An ancient house built or appointed by King Henry III for such Jews as were converted to the Christian faith; but King Edward III, who expelled the Jews from the kingdom, deputed the place for the custody of the rolls and… …   Black's law dictionary

  • domus conversorum — /dowmas konvarsoram/ An ancient house built or appointed by King Henry III for such Jews as were converted to the Christian faith; but King Edward III, who expelled the Jews from the kingdom, deputed the place for the custody of the rolls and… …   Black's law dictionary

  • OXFORD — OXFORD, English university town. The presence of Jews is first recorded in 1141, when they were despoiled by both claimants to the throne during the civil war. The Jewry was in the center of the town (the present St. Aldate s Street). Oxford Jews …   Encyclopedia of Judaism

  • History of the Jews in England — The first written records of Jewish settlement in England date from the time of the Norman Conquest, mentioning Jews who arrived with William the Conqueror in 1066 although it is believed that there were Jews present in Great Britain since Roman… …   Wikipedia

  • LONDON — LONDON, capital of england and seat of what has always been the largest Jewish community in the country. Medieval Period There is no reliable evidence for the presence of Jews in London until after the close of the Saxon period. After the Norman… …   Encyclopedia of Judaism

  • 1253 — EventsEuropeWar and politics* July William II, Count of Holland defeats the Flemish army at Westkapelle. * July 6 Mindaugas is crowned as King of Lithuania. * A series of naval wars begins between the Italian city states of Genoa and Venice,… …   Wikipedia

  • Public Record Office — The Public Record Office (PRO) of the United Kingdom is one of the three organisations that make up the National Archives (the others are the Historical Manuscripts Commission, and the Office of Public Sector Information). The name is no longer… …   Wikipedia

  • Edict of Expulsion — This article describes the Edict of Expulsion, given by Edward I of England in 1290, that expelled all Jews from England for 350 years. For information on the 1492 Edict of Expulsion from Spain, see the Alhambra decree. For other legislations… …   Wikipedia

  • Lay brother — In the most common usage, lay brothers are those members of Catholic religious orders, particularly of monastic orders, occupied primarily with manual labour and with the secular affairs of a monastery or friary, in contrast to the choir monks of …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”