Lavenham

In the late fifteenth century Lavenham was among the wealthiest towns in England, taxed more heavily than York or Lincoln, on the strength of Lavenham blue broadcloth. The trade collapsed in the sixteenth century as cheaper Dutch cloth took the market, and the town never recovered enough money to rebuild in brick, so the timber frames stayed. Over three hundred buildings are listed. Many lean noticeably, because unseasoned oak was used and twisted as it dried, which is why the Crooked House and its neighbours tilt. The Guildhall of Corpus Christi, built about 1529, has served as prison, workhouse and store and is now a museum. The church of St Peter and St Paul has a 43-metre tower funded by cloth money, and De Vere House was used as Godric's Hollow in the Harry Potter films.

What you actually see

• The leaning frames - oak that twisted as it dried, tilting whole facades.
• The Guildhall - a timber-framed hall of about 1529 with a long second life.
• The wool church - a 43-metre tower paid for by cloth merchants.
• De Vere House - the Godric's Hollow of the Potter films.

When to go

April to October; the village is small and quiet on weekdays outside school holidays. Spring and autumn light suits the timber and plaster better than midday summer.

Honest expectations

Lavenham is a working village, not an open-air museum, and most buildings are private homes. The main street is narrow with traffic and no pavement in places. Parking is limited and film tourism concentrates on one house.

Nearby

Sudbury and the Stour valley lie south; Bury St Edmunds is north.