Explore the history of Canterbury’s famous Crooked House, its accidental lean, and its role as a charity bookshop.
You can find it where King Street meets Palace Street. It’s also known as Sir John Boys House. Others call it the Old Dutch House. They built it way back in 1617. It’s now a bookshop for charity, Catching Lives.
So, how did the house get so crooked? Trevor Gardiner knows Canterbury’s history well. He says the issue began around 1850. People worried about the chimney’s position then.
They removed the chimney, and that caused problems. It was the house’s main support. The house leaned badly after this. A steel frame now holds it up, stopping the house from collapsing entirely.
The bookshop has a bright red, slanted door. Gardiner said they exaggerated the lean and put the crooked door back on. It draws lots of tourists today. Many people like taking photos with it. It’s a big part of local history, he notes.
Catching Lives says it is the second most photographed building. Only Canterbury Cathedral is more popular. Some connect it to famous folks like Dickens or Pocahontas.
Gardiner mentions a house in David Copperfield. The description is of a house with an overhang. That could describe any house in Canterbury. He doesn’t think Dickens is connected.
The building has carvings that look like Pocahontas. The line about a bulging house is on the front, facing out to King Street. Those carvings resemble Virginia tobacco leaves.
He says tobacco came to England from there. The carving looking like Pocahontas is wrong, he thinks. Pocahontas died the year the house was built, so it isn’t likely she stayed there.
The house’s history is rich, even without famous residents. Protestant refugees came to Canterbury centuries ago. They brought their weaving skills, and some became leaders in the city council.
Alderman Sabine likely built the leaning house. He was mayor three times later. You can see old cellar openings at ground level. They stored wool in the cellars. The shop sold goods from there.
The King’s School used it for a tuck shop later. Catching Lives opened their bookshop eleven years ago. Tourists visit the unique building daily.
The shop is open every day, from 10 am to 5 pm. Anyone can visit for free. The charity finds that the building’s looks help them a lot. More people visit and buy books there.