When I embarked on the study of medieval Anglo-Jewry in late 1980 it seemed that I had come across a comparatively quiet backwater. Much research had been done on the topic by members of the Jewish Historical Society of England (JHSE). This work was dominated by the studies of Michael Adler, Cecil Roth, Vivian Lipman, Canon Stokes, James Parkes and Sir Hilary Jenkinson. This had been augmented by the works of H. G. Richardson in 1961 and 1972 and more recently of Professor Barrie Dobson who published two papers on the York Jewry in the 1970s. The latter finally brought the Anglo-Jew more clearly into mainline medieval history. I hope that this book will strengthen the bridge across the divide between what has been traditionally considered Jewish history on one side and medieval British history on the other.

As my own work progressed I found that the study of medieval Anglo-Jewry had a much wider appeal and interest than I had believed. I encountered much research and scholarship. Sometime in late 1981 I met Dr Zefira Rokeah in the small dark coffee bar at the Public Record Office, Chancery Lane, London. It is fair to say that as we sat there we thought ourselves not only to be kindred souls in search of a small community of some seven hundred years standing, but also somewhat alone!