The Board is of necessity abbreviated. Please do read below for a fuller rendition.

Licoricia was a medieval businesswomen, working mother, and leader in her community.  Like many Jewish women of her time, she was highly educated.  This enabled her to succeed in a man’s world despite prejudice.  She made a major forced contribution to the building of Westminster Abbey and financed many other projects.  The Jewish community suffered severe religious persecution from both Church and State (the two were not entirely separate) and the prejudices formed at that time still linger today.  The message of “Love they Neighbour as Thyself” at the base of the statue, shared by Jews, Christians and Muslims, is as important to follow now as it was in her time. By the time of her murder, which was never solved, she was probably in very reduced circumstances following the sack of Winchester in the Barons’ War between 1264-7, and continued persecution.

Licoricia wears the clothes worn by a wealthy woman of her time.  Careful research has gone into her clothes and headdress, with input from the Victoria and Albert Museum, and the Jewish Museum in London.  At that time, there was a complex relationship within Christendom (Christian Europe) between the supranational Church ruled by the Pope, and the State. The two often could not be easily distinguished. Jews and Muslims were required by Canon 68 (* below) of the Fourth Lateran Council of 1215 of the Church to wear distinctive dress – implemented as a tabula (a badge shaped like the Ten Commandments), in England for the Jews. She is not wearing one as wealthier Jews in England often paid for the privilege not to.  The requirements of the Lateran Council were implemented differently in different countries, the Muslim requirement generally being introduced where Muslims were numerous, as occurred in Spain (as far as we know there were very few Muslims in England and no significant community). In practice it was the Jews therefore who were principally forced to be badged in Christendom as part of an effort to keep Christians and others separate. These badges were the precursor for Nazi-era yellow stars.

In Licoricia’s right hand is a tallage demand. Jews were tallaged (taxed) increasingly harshly and sporadically as the thirteenth century progressed, with demands often being accompanied by imprisonment. On the death of her husband, David of Oxford, Licoricia paid thousands of pounds to the King, which helped build Westminster Abbey.

Licoricia’s son Asher is also depicted in mid-13^th century clothes.  In his hand is a dreidel, a spinning top.  The top and letters relate to the dreidel game (thought to derive originally from the Roman game of Teetotum) which is usually played at the Jewish festival of Chanukah. Asher was the second son of Jacob and Leah (Genesis 30:13, which reads: ‘Leah declared, “What a fortune!” meaning “Women will deem me fortunate.” So she named him Asher’).

Licoricia is seen purposefully walking ahead – a woman with much to do and complex issues on her mind – whilst also holding on to Asher’s hand showing her commitment at the same time to her family.

The plinth has the words from Leviticus 19:18 (‘Love thy neighbour as thyself’) inscribed in both English and Hebrew. The text is also found in Matthew 22:39 in the New Testament, and is also identifiable in Islamic Hadith, such as Sahih Book 1, Number 72, and Musnad Ahmad, Number 21627.  It is therefore a key concept in all Abrahamic faiths and a message of reconciliation for our times. The English will be from the King James version of the Bible as large parts of this Bible were translated in Winchester. The font will be Albertus. ‘Love Thy Neighbour’ was called the great principle of the Torah by Rabbi Akiva.

Hampshire History Trust has produced two excellent podcasts interviewing Rebecca Abrams, the author of our book, about Licoricia:

https://histbites.buzzsprout.com/1238459/15626719-licoricia-part-1, https://histbites.buzzsprout.com/1238459/15664824-licoricia-part-2

It is worth listening to the Chief Rabbi’s wonderful speech at the unveiling.

Here is some more information about Licoricia and her city.

Winchester Council has created a marvellous Medieval Jewish Trail which will guide you round Jewish Winchester and this map. This can be accessed here: http://Medieval Jewish Trail or can be purchased from the Visitor Centre at the Guildhall (walk to the High Street, turn left, and the Guildhall is about a hundred metres on your right).

There are also leaflets on Licoricia available from ARC reception.

We have published a fascinating illustrated book by well-known historian Rebecca Abrams, that will tell you a great deal more about Winchester and England’s medieval Jewish community.

This is available in Winchester from:

ARC by the statue, the Visitor Centre at the Guildhall, the City Museum, the Great Hall, Waterstone’s in the High Street and P&G Wells in College Street by Winchester College (near the house where Jane Austen died). It is also available both as a book and ebook from Amazon and other online booksellers.

We and Hampshire County Council have created groundbreaking school lessons on Licoricia (KS3) which challenge prejudice and promote diversity, shining a new light on Britain’s medieval past. They are free for download https://history.hias.hants.gov.uk/course/view.php?id=103 and https://licoricia.org/schools/. We are also writing primary school lessons.

If you wish to learn more about Licoricia, please download a copy of our brochure.

Much more information is available on our website http://www.licoricia.org.

The statue: more information is available at The statue

Thank you for your visit!

mail@licoricia.org

* Canon 68 of the Fourth Lateran Council reads ‘In several provinces, a difference in vestment distinguishes the Jews or the Saracens (Muslims) from the Christians; but in others, the confusion has reached such proportions that a difference can no longer be perceived. Hence, at times it has occurred that Christians have had sexual intercourse in error with Jewish or Saracen women and Jews or Saracens with Christian women. That the crime of such a sinful mixture shall no longer find evasion or cover under the pretext of error, we order that they [Jews and Saracens] of both sexes, in all Christian lands and at all times, shall be publicly differentiated from the rest of the population by the quality of their garment, especially since that this is ordained by Moses….’