TrustNews Mar 22
Licorica of Winchester
William Carver from the Licoricia of Winchester Appeal reports on the unveiling of this important statue.
Licoricia Statue unveiled
On Thursday 10 February, a statue of Licoricia of Winchester and her son Asher by lan Rank-Broadley was unveiled outside Arc in Winchester's Jewry St by the Lord-Lieutenant, deputising for HRH Prince Charles who had Covid. Attendees included the Chief Rabbi and senior representatives of many denominations and faiths.
Licoricia was a prominent member of Winchester's medieval Jewish community.
The statue is intended to:
Promote tolerance and the value of diversity in the community
Educate people about the important but little-known medieval Jewish Community
Be of national interest and a lasting enhancement to the city of Winchester.
Licoricia wears the clothes worn by a wealthy woman of her time. In her 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.
The plinth has the words 'Love thy neighbour as thyself' from Leviticus and Matthew. These words are also present in lslamic Hadith. It is therefore a key concept in all Abrahamic faiths and a message of reconciliation for our times.
All the funds raised for the statue apart from a contribution from the Arts Council were raised privately. Many thanks to the City of Winchester Trust for their kind and generous donation. We are also really grateful for the support we have received from Hampshire County Council, Winchester City Council, the Hampshire Cultural Trust and other national charities and organisations.