Twinkle twinkle little star

I did promise on 30th July to blip the literary side of Colchester - so as the year is nearly out, I thought I'd better fulfil my intentions.

This house is in West Stockwell Street, in the Dutch Quarter of Colchester. It's claim to fame is the following nursery rhyme:

Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are.
Up above the world so high,
Like a diamond in the sky.

When the blazing sun is gone,
When he nothing shines upon,
Then you show your little light,
Twinkle, twinkle, all the night.

Then the traveller in the dark,
Thanks you for your tiny spark,
He could not see which way to go,
If you did not twinkle so.

In the dark blue sky you keep,
And often through my curtains peep,
For you never shut your eye,
Till the sun is in the sky.

As your bright and tiny spark,
Lights the traveller in the dark.
Though I know not what you are,
Twinkle, twinkle, little star.

Twinkle, twinkle, little star.
How I wonder what you are.
Up above the world so high,
Like a diamond in the sky.

Twinkle, twinkle, little star.
How I wonder what you are.
How I wonder what you are.

Twinkle was originally known as ' The Star' and the tune it is sung to is a French melody from about 40 years earlier. It was written by Jane Taylor in 1806. The plaque reads: In these houses lived Jane & Ann Taylor. Authors of Original Poems for Infant Minds Etc. 1796-1811.

The sisters came from a literary family of theologians, engravers and writers of instructional booklets and translators.

Jane died at the age of 40 from breast cancer whereas Ann lived to be 84.