The Crooked House

The Crooked House was a pub in Himley, a village in the Black Country of the West Midlands. It began as an 18th-century corn mill called Coppice Mill before becoming a pub in the 1830s. By the 1850s, mining subsidence caused one side of the building to sink about 1.2 metres lower than the other, giving it a distinctive lean. Locals nicknamed it the "Siden House" before it was officially renamed the Crooked House in 2002. The pub became famous for its optical illusions, where objects appeared to roll uphill along walls and tables. The building’s unusual tilt attracted visitors from across the world. In 1975, the landlord reported guests travelling from China, Russia, Japan, the United States and Canada to see the phenomenon. The pub’s walls and fixtures were deliberately unlevel, creating a gravity-defying effect that baffled visitors. A grandfather clock and chandelier hung at impossible angles, adding to the disorienting experience. The Earl of Dudley’s nearby colliery may have contributed to the subsidence, though the mill race likely softened the ground over time. Inside, the pub’s sloping floors and warped surfaces made everyday objects behave strangely. Bottles and glasses seemed to move uphill on their own, while furniture appeared crooked. The landlord in the 1970s claimed the novelty drew crowds from as far as those countries. After a fire in 2023, the building was demolished despite council objections. Campaigners now demand it be rebuilt exactly as it was, using salvaged bricks and photographs for accuracy.