The Crooked House
A formerly operating Staffordshire pub famous for its dramatic mining-related subsidence, optical illusions, and controversial demolition in 2023.
Last updated August 24, 2026
AI crawler reads
No AI crawler has read this profile since Oct 28, 2026.
Overview
The Crooked House was a public house at Himley in South Staffordshire, England, widely promoted as “Britain’s wonkiest pub.” Its distinctive appearance resulted from severe ground movement that left one side of the building approximately 1.2 metres lower than the other. The building was not originally constructed as a pub: it was erected in 1765 as Coppice Mill, a corn mill associated with Oak Farm on the Glynne estate. During the nineteenth century it was converted into licensed premises, initially operating as the Glynne Arms. The building’s deformation developed gradually from the 1850s. The sinking was commonly associated with coal mining in the surrounding Black Country, although the softening of ground near the former mill race may also have contributed. The structure ultimately leaned by about 15 degrees. Locally it became known as the “Siden House,” using a Black Country dialect term meaning crooked or askew. Its unusual geometry became the foundation of its commercial identity, and the premises were formally renamed The Crooked House in 2002. The pub became an attraction as well as a drinking and dining venue. Inside, the sloping floors, walls, furniture, and fixtures created visual effects in which bottles and other objects appeared to roll uphill. The grandfather clock was installed on a tapered plinth and the chandelier appeared out of level, reinforcing the building’s theatrical character. Historical publicity claimed that the novelty attracted visitors from overseas as well as from across Britain. The building required repeated structural intervention. Buttresses had been added by 1904, but it was condemned as unsafe during the 1940s and faced possible demolition. Wolverhampton and Dudley Breweries acquired it and undertook substantial strengthening in 1957, using steel tie rods and reinforced buttresses. A fire damaged the first floor and roof in 1986, followed by a major renovation the next year. Despite its irregular structure, the pub continued trading for decades and became a recognizable local landmark. The property was offered for sale as a going concern in March 2023 for £675,000. It suffered a burglary in June, causing reported damage to the bar, kitchen, and toilets. The sale completed on 27 July 2023, with the property reportedly acquired for alternative use and not expected to reopen as a pub. The purchaser was subsequently identified as ATE Farms Ltd, a property company linked by registered address to nearby quarrying and equipment-hire businesses. On 5 August 2023, a fire gutted the interior and destroyed part of the roof. Firefighters faced difficult access because an earth mound blocked the only lane to the premises, requiring a long hose deployment. Although the cause was initially under investigation, Staffordshire Police later treated the circumstances as arson. On 7 August, while the site remained subject to police and structural-safety concerns, the building was demolished using an excavator. South Staffordshire Council stated that the demolition exceeded the works discussed with the landowner and was contrary to council instructions. The demolition triggered public anger, political criticism, a police investigation, and the formation of the Save the Crooked House campaign. In February 2024, South Staffordshire Council issued an enforcement notice requiring reconstruction of the building in substantially its former form, using salvaged bricks and photographic evidence. ATE Farms Ltd appealed and proposed rebuilding at another nearby location, arguing that the original site would not support a sustainable community facility. Campaigners opposed relocation and called for restoration on the historic site. Multiple people were arrested and bailed during the arson investigation; criminal proceedings and planning matters have remained central to the site’s post-demolition history.
History
The Crooked House originated as Coppice Mill, an eighteenth-century corn mill built in 1765 on the Glynne estate at Oak Farm in Himley. It was converted into a public house around 1830 and first traded under the name Glynne Arms. The surrounding Black Country experienced extensive coal mining during the nineteenth century, and ground movement gradually distorted the building from the 1850s onward. Although mining subsidence became the usual explanation, the former mill race may also have weakened the ground beneath the structure. By the early twentieth century the building had become markedly uneven. Buttresses were added by 1904, but the premises were later condemned as unsafe during the 1940s and were scheduled for demolition. Wolverhampton and Dudley Breweries purchased the property and prevented its loss by installing steel tie rods and strengthening the buttresses in 1957. A further fire in 1986 damaged the upper floor and roof; the brewery funded extensive repairs in 1987. The building’s instability became its defining attraction. One end stood roughly four feet lower than the other, creating a pronounced lean of about 15 degrees. The resulting interior perspective made bottles, furniture, and other objects appear to move uphill. Specially positioned fixtures, including a grandfather clock on a tapered plinth, amplified the effect. The pub was known locally as the Siden House before adopting The Crooked House as its official name in 2002. Its unusual architecture brought visitors from throughout Britain and, according to historical publicity, from several overseas countries. In 2023 the long-running pub entered a period of rapid change. It was advertised for £675,000 in March and experienced a damaging burglary in June. The sale completed on 27 July, with ATE Farms Ltd later identified as the buyer. Reports indicated that the property had been acquired for alternative use and was unlikely to continue as a pub. A request was made to Historic England for listed status, while the Georgian Group considered the building’s heritage significance. On the evening of 5 August 2023, a fire gutted the premises. Emergency access was complicated by an earth mound across the only approach road, forcing firefighters to lay approximately 1,000 metres of hose. After the fire, council officers discussed limited works intended to remove dangerous sections of the weakened structure. The entire building was not considered by council officers to require demolition. Nevertheless, on 7 August an excavator demolished the remaining structure while police investigations and safety concerns were still active. The demolition led to condemnation from South Staffordshire Council, West Midlands mayor Andy Street, local politicians, and heritage campaigners. The Save the Crooked House group sought reconstruction, protected surviving bricks from removal, and attempted to locate the pub’s distinctive grandfather clock. Police and fire investigators treated the fire as suspected arson, and six people were arrested and bailed between August and October 2023 in connection with allegations including arson with intent to endanger life. In February 2024 the council served an enforcement notice requiring the landowner to reinstate the building within three years. The notice specified the use of recovered bricks and photographic evidence to reproduce the former construction. ATE Farms Ltd appealed and offered to rebuild at a nearby alternative site, claiming that the original location would not provide a sustainable community facility. Rebuilding on the original site remained the preferred position of campaigners. The property therefore shifted from operating pub to demolished heritage site, with its future dependent on planning enforcement, appeals, criminal investigations, and the continuing public campaign.
- 2024
Reconstruction enforcement notice
[1]South Staffordshire Council ordered the landowner to reconstruct the building, subject to an appeal proposing relocation.
- 2023
Sale, fire, and demolition
[1]The pub was sold in July, gutted by fire in August, and demolished shortly afterward.
- 2002
Official renaming as The Crooked House
[1]The long-established local nickname became the pub’s official name.
- 1986
Fire damages the building
[1]A fire affected the first floor and roof; major renovation followed in 1987.
- 1957
Major structural strengthening
[1]Wolverhampton and Dudley Breweries used steel tie rods and strengthened buttresses to keep the building in use.
- 1904
Buttresses added
[1]Structural buttresses were installed as the building’s distortion became more pronounced.
- 1850
Subsidence begins to distort the building
[1]The structure began gradually sinking, eventually producing its characteristic four-foot difference in level.
- 1830
Conversion into a public house
[1]The former mill was converted into a pub and operated initially as the Glynne Arms.
- 1765
Coppice Mill constructed
[1]The building was erected as a corn mill associated with Oak Farm and the Glynne estate at Himley.
Products and positioning
A heritage-oriented local pub and visitor attraction whose core differentiation was its exceptionally tilted historic building and associated optical illusions.
Alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks
Pub beverages
The business operated as a traditional British pub serving beer and other alcoholic and soft drinks. Its beverage offer was closely tied to the visitor appeal of the building rather than to a documented proprietary product range.
Hospitality and dining
Pub food
The Crooked House also provided food in a conventional pub setting. Available reference material identifies food service as part of the premises’ commercial activity but does not establish a complete menu or signature dish.
Visitor attraction
Crooked House optical-illusion experience
The building itself functioned as the flagship attraction. Sloping floors and walls made bottles and other objects appear to roll uphill, while irregularly mounted furniture and fixtures intensified the visual illusion.
Controversies
2023
Fire and unauthorized demolition
A fire gutted the pub on 5 August, and the remaining structure was demolished two days later. The council said the demolition was contrary to instructions given to the landowner, while police investigated the fire as suspected arson.
2023
Arson investigation
Staffordshire Police and fire investigators examined the circumstances of the blaze. Six people were arrested and bailed between August and October on allegations including arson with intent to endanger life.
Marketing campaigns
- 2023Save the Crooked House (Let's Get It Re-Built)
United Kingdom
Following the fire and demolition, members of the public organized a campaign demanding that the historic pub be rebuilt. Supporters also sought to protect surviving bricks and recover distinctive fixtures, including the grandfather clock.
Outcome. The campaign helped sustain public and political pressure for reconstruction. The council later issued an enforcement notice requiring reinstatement, although the owner appealed and proposed a nearby alternative site.
Brand decisions
2024
Owner appeals reconstruction order and proposes relocationStrategyBackground
South Staffordshire Council required the demolished building to be reinstated using recovered materials and photographic evidence.
Action taken
ATE Farms Ltd appealed the enforcement notice and proposed rebuilding the pub on another nearby site.
Aftermath
Campaigners opposed relocation and continued to advocate reconstruction on the original site.
2023
Property sold for alternative useOtherBackground
The pub was marketed as a going concern but was sold on 27 July with reports that it was unlikely to reopen in its former role.
Action taken
ATE Farms Ltd acquired the property for an undisclosed price.
Aftermath
The premises subsequently burned and were demolished, triggering planning enforcement and a public rebuilding campaign.
Asking price. £675,000 (March 2023)
Recent events
- 2024
Council orders reconstruction of the demolished pub[1]
Regulation
South Staffordshire Council issued an enforcement notice requiring the owner to reconstruct the building using reclaimed materials and documentary evidence of its former appearance.
- 2023
The Crooked House put up for sale[1]
Other
The historic pub was marketed as a going concern for £675,000 before being sold later in the year.
- 2023
Burglary damages the pub before its sale[1]
Other
A June burglary caused reported damage exceeding £10,000 to the bar, kitchen, and toilet areas.
Sources2 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/the-crooked-house · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled