A Great British Icon
“One of the world’s most photographed homes”
Country Life
“Britain’s wonkiest house”
Daily Mail
“A medieval house with a medieval lifestyle to match”
The Times
“Like stepping into a fairytale”
Daily Express
“England’s quirkiest home”
BRITAIN Magazine
600 years of history
Built in 1395 as part of a grand hall house for a wealthy wool merchant, The Crooked House is said to be the inspiration for the old English nursery rhyme, ‘There was a Crooked Man’.
From King Richard II to Queen Elizabeth I, John Lennon to Harry Potter, The Crooked House has seen them all over the past 600 years and stands proud to tell the tale.
There was a crooked man,
he walked a crooked mile,
he found a crooked six-pence
upon a crooked stile;
he bought a crooked cat,
which caught a crooked mouse
and they all lived together
in a little Crooked House.
Old English nursery rhyme,
inspired by The Crooked House
Why is it crooked?
The Crooked House wasn’t built crooked; the fairytale facade you see today is a quirk of history…
In the 14th and 15th centuries, Lavenham was one of the richest places in England - its wealth derived from the wool trade and popular ‘Lavenham Blue’ cloth made in the village. With many merchants fast making money and building houses, the wood they used wasn’t always given enough time to dry. As the timber frame of The Crooked House dried, it gradually twisted and contorted. By the time this had happened, Lavenham’s wool industry was in decline. The merchants left and without the money to rebuild, the house was left crooked and divided up.
The result is a rare survivor - The Crooked House you see today - wonderfully wonky and one of the world’s most photographed homes.
Step inside and experience the magic…