"There was a crooked man and he walked a crooked mile; he found a crooked sixpence upon a crooked stile. He bought a crooked cat, which caught a crooked mouse, and they all lived together in a little crooked house."

An English nursery rhyme


This is Lavenham, known for its perfectly preserved half-timbered houses, wonky angles compliments of the passing years. Some people say this town was the "inspiration" for the nursery rhyme, but I couldn't find anything about that in the shops there and I would think if it were true, they'd be selling nursery books like crazy. A bit of research tells me that the poem actually has political references and background. Regardless, it was a charming town with pastel-painted buildings all carefully maintained. They have a zealous preservation group that has banned TV antennas and aerials to keep the village's antique appearance.