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'I spent 900 hours recreating the Crooked House'

Alice CunninghamSuffolk
News imageSimon Evans A man poses next to a model of a row of cottages. There are two cottages, one pink and one cream, with a smaller, orange crooked cottage between them. There is a blue car parked outside the orange home. The man has light hair and wears a blue T-shirt and cream shorts. He rests his hands on the table that the model sits on. Simon Evans
Simon Evans uses balsa wood and clay for the main structures of his models

A man spent almost 900 hours building and painting a scale model of a medieval crooked house that survives in a picturesque Suffolk village.

Simon Evans, 63, took up model building during the Covid-19 lockdown of 2020 and started off recreating buildings in Thaxted and Saffron Walden in Essex where he works and lives.

Having been born in Sudbury, he was aware of nearby Lavenham - a village known for its medieval buildings, including the De Vere House, which featured in the Harry Potter films.

He decided to create the De Vere House which he finished in December and he has just completed the Crooked House, which he said the owners were "delighted" with.

His models are primarily made using balsa wood and clay.

News imageSimon Evans A model of a row of three cottages. There is one large cream cottage at the left end, in the middle is an orange smaller cottage and on the right end there is a pink cottage. Two of the homes look like medieval style buildings and there is a blue car model parked outside of the homes. Simon Evans
Evans hoped to exhibit his Lavenham models in the future

"I've always been quite creative and I used to make models as a kid," Evans said.

"I just thought it'd be nice to revisit it."

Evans had been focused on models of cars and motorbikes, but decided to go back to medieval buildings which he said just "stuck".

News imageSimon Evans A model of the interior of a cottage where there is a long table that has glasses and plates placed on it. There are also white seats, chandeliers and bowls filled with oranges. There is a fireplace behind the table. Simon Evans
Evans also created the interior for the Crooked House

In 2024, he recreated Thaxted's historic Guildhall and its adjoining cottages with the final model then displayed in the actual building.

The following year, he turned his attention to the Old Sun Inn in Saffron Walden before he looked at Lavenham - which has more than 350 listed buildings.

"I discovered the Lavenham buildings and they're obviously very well known with all the Harry Potter connection and the rest of it," he continued.

"So I made the De Vere House and then it was a no-brainer that the next one I was going to make was the Crooked House, as it's probably the most well-known house in Lavenham."

News imageSimon Evans A model of a medieval row of buildings. The buildings have three storeys and have windows in random spots throughout. Some models of small people have been created to stand outside part of the building. Simon Evans
Evans's Thaxted Guildhall sits in the real-life building today

De Vere House is a Grade I listed building that featured in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part I, as the house where the young wizard's parents were killed by Lord Voldemort.

The Crooked House, which was not crooked when built, was part of a much larger house built for a wool merchant and it dates from 1395.

The wood used was not fully seasoned and as it dried it twisted and contorted resulting in today's wonky look.

It is now one of the world's most photographed homes.

News imageSimon Evans A model of a medieval building in a brown colour. It has a wooden door and there are several windows placed across three-storeys. There are model plant boxes and hangers on the front of the home.Simon Evans
De Vere House in Lavenham featured in the penultimate Harry Potter film

Evans introduced himself to the owners who welcomed him in to take pictures to base his model on.

It took him up to 900 hours to build, craft and paint his latest work.

"They are very time-consuming, because I do put all the little details in and, on the Crooked House and the De Vere House, I incorporated their interiors," he added.

"So there was obviously a lot more work involved in getting that all right.

News imageSimon Evans A model of an inn that has been placed on a wooden plinth. The building is cream and in a medieval style. The name of the pub and its location is written on a black plaque on the front of the wooden plinth. Simon Evans
Saffron Walden's Old Sun Inn took Evans 1,100 hours to create

The owners were overjoyed with the model and Evans similarly got huge praise on social media for his work.

"I am in the process of creating a collection of these models, specifically the Lavenham ones for the moment," he continued.

"So once I've built the Guildhall and perhaps one more, then my plan is to exhibit them in Lavenham.

"After that I don't know, maybe somebody will show an interest in them or want to exhibit them in a museum or buy them off me.

"We'll see what happens in the future, for now I just enjoy making them."

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