With its curved roof, wobbly windows and wonky walls this Suffolk cottage looks like something out of a fairytale.

But this is no fantasy as this historic property near Bungay has just been bought for around �375,000.

Situated in Ilketshall St Margaret, the cottage - reminiscent of work by Spanish architect Antoni Gaudi - is a village talking point, and when it went up for sale it took very little time to find interested parties.

Aidan Branch, of estate agents Durrants, of Halesworth, said: 'It has caused an incredible amount of interest and was on the market for only two and half weeks.'

'It is very, very rare to have something quite as pretty as this on the market, it is like a chocolate box cottage. There are so few of these about and it has been beautifully maintained by the owners.'

The property, which is called Charity Cottage, dates from the 1590s. It was once owned by Cambridge University and used to house widows of the clergy.

The cottage's lopsided look is believed to be the result of its timber frames moving during its 400-year life, but despite its appearance a survey was carried out seven years ago which deemed it structurally sound.

Apart from a two-storey side extension built in the 1970s, the main body of the cottage is still the original 16th century structure.

Inside its sitting room boasts an inglenook fireplace, double-glazed windows and exposed beams. There is a further fireplace in the dining room, which features a spiral staircase to the first-floor.

Here there are three bedrooms, including the master bedroom, which has exposed beams and a large built-in wardrobe.