Lincoln’s Wonky House saved from 1933 demolition, gets restoration funding

In 1933, a demolition order was issued for a row of terrace houses at the top of Michaelgate in Lincoln, UK. When workers began removing the outer walls of number 40, they discovered a 16th-century timber-framed building hidden behind the brick facade. The discovery led to the cancellation of the demolition order, and the building, now known locally as the Crooked House or Wonky House, was preserved by the City of Lincoln Council. It is one of the most photographed historic sites in Lincoln's Cathedral Quarter.

In early 2024, conservation workers found widespread damage caused by death-watch beetles and older repairs made with dense cement that prevented the timber from breathing. To address these issues, Heritage Lincolnshire and the City of Lincoln Council launched a major conservation project. More than £451,000 was raised from organisations including the Architectural Heritage Fund, Investors in Lincoln, the Michael Cornish Charitable Trust, the Swire Charitable Trust and Historic England.

The restoration will use traditional limewash on the exposed timber frame to protect it from future insect damage. When the work is finished, the building will be used as holiday accommodation, and the income is expected to help pay for repairs to the neighbouring 15th-century Harlequin building. The project will also open its historic rooms for community use.