Jews Mount and Mount Pelham

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Jewes mount

In the civil parish of Oxford. In the historic county of Oxfordshire (Modern Authority of Oxfordshire, 1974 county of Oxfordshire).

Two earthen mounds in line with Old City Wall. Built either during King Stephen's siege of Matilda in Oxford Castle, 1142, or possibly during the siege which preceded the building of the Barbican at time of Baron's War. Known subsequently as Jews Mount and Mount Pelham. Mount Pelham was levelled c.1650 and Jews Mount when canal constructed in 1790. Nuffield College stands on the site now, the line of which is defined by George Street Mews and Bulwarks Lane. There are many descriptions and interpretations by various authors. The siege works may be seen depicted in Agas's Plan, 1578. There is a reference by Wood which says they were apparently made out of the earth thrown up when the Castle Ditch was dug. Could be interpretated as siege works or town defences. (Oxfordshire HER)
The traditional link of the Oxford Jews with Oxford Castle is evidenced in the Jew’s Mount which used to survive at the Castle site. The Jews Mount was an artificial hill, described by Tovey, a famous Oxford historian of the Jews, ‘as a small tract of rising ground’. It seems to have been constructed of the surplus earth thrown up by the digging of the Castle Ditch. The Jew’s Mount was north east of the Castle Hill, in line with the City Wall. It is also linked with another artificial mound called Mount Pelham. Wood, the Oxford historian, held that it had been made by the local Jews in 1141, under the compulsion of King Stephen. Tovey, however, relates another local tradition that it is named after a number of converted Jews were burnt to death for reverting to Judaism. There is no clear historical evidence for these traditions, though it is now surmised that both mounts were raised during sieges of the Castle, which does link to the King Stephen tradition. Tovey thought that the name arose out of the Juis or pit at the foot of the mount that was used for local ordeals by water. Cecil Roth thought that there may have been a special fortification for the Jews at the site, as was the case at other castles – this is an entirely plausible explanation. Evidence of other local Jewish place name traditions across the country, have frequently proved surprisingly accurate, but not infallible. Therefore it is possible that the site of the Jew’s Mount is an important link with Oxford’s Jewish heritage. The Jews Mount was destroyed in 1790 to make way for the new canal in Oxford. (Oxford Chabad Society)

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is SP51020628

Air Photo from Air Photo and general mapping	1st edition OS Map from Mid to late 19th century maps
Modern Map from Landscape form and features	Modern Map from General location and route planning
Geograph British Isles occasionally has photos of the site and will usually give an idea of the surrounding landscape.

Sources of information, references and further reading

This site's English Heritage (PastScape) Defra or Monument number is 338353
This site's County Historic Environment Record (formerly Sites and Monuments Record) number is 3604 'grey' literature, such as watching brief reports, held by H.E.R.s is often poorly referenced and is unlikely to be recorded in this website.

• Web site links
  • http://www.oxfordchabad.org/templates/articlecco_cdo/aid/651840/jewish/Jewish-Tour-of-Oxford.htm
• Books
  • Crossley, A. (ed), 1979, 'Early Modern Oxford', A History of the County of Oxford: Volume 4: The City of Oxford p74-180 http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=22804
• Primary (Medieval documents or transcriptions of such documents - This section is far from complete and the secondary sources should be consulted for full references.)
  • Agas's Map of Oxford, 1578. From an engraving of 1831 by J. Whessell and T. Bartlett, reproduced in [T. Joy], Oxf. Delineated http://www.british-history.ac.uk/image.aspx?compid=22804&filename=fig02.gif&pubid=10
    The Christ Church Plan of Oxford Castle, c.1616 http://www.british-history.ac.uk/image.aspx?compid=22809&filename=fig11.gif&pubid=10