The synagogue on Arnside Road in Southport was established in 1926. It has a semi-circular porch at the front with the words from Genesis 28:17 painted under the dome, which read: “This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven.” This post is about the history and architecture of Southport Synagogue.
History of the Southport Synagogue
The first synagogue in Southport was consecrated in 1893, and located on the corner of Sussex Road and Windsor Road. Before its formation, there were Jewish families living in Southport, but no organised Jewish community or synagogue.
The earliest known Jewish family in Southport was that of Henschel Samuelson, who settled there around 1873. It wasn’t until 1892, when Rabbi Naphtali Levy, a respected scholar and shochet, settled in Southport, that the town saw significant developments in its Jewish community.
Rabbi Levy played a key role in establishing the first synagogue, located in a building on the corner of Sussex Road and Windsor Road, which had previously served as a chapel for the Plymouth Brethren.
In the 1913, there were 80 Jewish families in Southport, and the Southport Synagogue had 50 members. By the 1920s the Jewish population had grown to around 500 people, and so a larger synagogue was needed.
In 1926, the Southport Hebrew Congregation moved to its current location on Arnside Road. At the last national census in 2021, there were around 600 Jewish people living in Southport.
Architecture of the Southport Synagogue
Inside the Arnside Road Synagogue, you’ll find a spacious interior with striking features. The Aron haKodesh and Bimah, shown in the photographs below, are beautifully decorated and crafted from imported Italian alabaster.
The synagogue also has three impressive stained glass windows above the Ark. The central window, known as “The Guardian,” shows symbols of protection for the Jewish people. The windows on either side of it depict stories from the bible, about Abraham and Jacob.
Location
Southport Synagogue is located at 3 Arnside Road, PR9 0QX. The exact location is shown on the map below.
More Information About Southport Synagogue
You can find out more about Southport Synagogue through the links below:
Other Synagogues in Southport
Today there is only one other synagogue in Southport – the Southport & District Reform Synagogue on Princes Street. This synagogue was formerly known as the “Southport New Synagogue”, and was founded in 1948.
There used to be a second orthodox synagogue in Southport called the “Birkdale and Hillside Hebrew Congregation” which met at 47 Trafalgar Road for a couple of years after the second world war.
Recommended Reading
If you are interested in finding out more about synagogues in the UK, I recommended Jewish Heritage in Britain and Ireland by Sharman Kadish. (Please note that link is an affiliate link, which means I receive a commission if you make a purchase, at no extra cost to you.)
