The designation oldest synagogue in the United Kingdom requires careful definition. A number of synagogues that predate the expulsion of the Jews from England have been discovered by archaeologists or by historians in buildings that have been in use for other purposes for many centuries. A second set of synagogues post-dates the legal return of Jews to England in the seventeenth century. Some synagogues have been destroyed or demolished and rebuilt on the same site, so that, while the site or congregation may be very old, the building may be modern. Still other old synagogue buildings exist, but were sold by the congregation and are now used for other purposes, some as churches or mosques, others for everything from residences to school recital halls. And some very old synagogues have been in continuous use as synagogues for many centuries.
England
Jew's Court, Lincoln, built between 1150 and 1180. A recent architectural survey of the existing building has shown that there is very little medieval stonework above basement level in the existing building. Documentary evidence of 1290 when the Jewish community of Lincoln were expelled now shows that the Jews' Court has always been divided into two houses. A charter of 1316 mentions that a Jewish scola or synagogue had stood to the west in the tenement behind these two houses.
Guildford Synagogue, built around 1180.
Bevis Marks Synagogue in London, built in 1701 is the oldest synagogue building in the United Kingdom in continuous use.
The Plymouth Synagogue, built in 1762, is the oldest Ashkenazi synagogue building in the English-speaking world.
The Exeter Synagogue, built in 1763 originally for a Sephardic Congregation.
The Falmouth Synagogue, built in 1806, now inactive
Chatham Memorial Synagogue, built in 1867
West London Synagogue, built in 1870
New West End Synagogue, built in 1877–1879
Scotland
Garnethill Synagogue, built 1879–1881
The Merthyr Synagogue (1872) in Merthyr Tydfil, Wales, is thought to be the oldest purpose-built synagogue still standing in Wales.
