The poem 'There Was A Crooked Man' was first published in1842, but who, or what, inspired the nursery rhyme?
Some believe it originated in the village of Lavenham, famous for its crooked half-timbered houses, while others think it dates back to the reign of King Charles I and the crooked man is the Scottish General Sir Alexander Leslie, who signed a covenant securing religious and political freedom for Scotland.
There Was A Crooked Man' lyrics
There was a crooked man and he went a crooked mile, He found a crooked sixpence against a crooked stile; He bought a crooked cat, which caught a crooked mouse, And they all liv'd together in a little crooked house.
Main image © Clara E. Atwood, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons