Sewell Barn Theatre space for presentations, meetings and other private hire uses. Originally the barn belonged to Clare House which was owned by Philip Sewell, a local benefactor, from 1864 to 1906. Anna Sewell, author of the children’s story "Black Beauty", was Philip’s sister and lived in the White House, Spixworth Road, Spixworth. Philip owned a mare called Black Bess which used to draw his carriage along Spixworth Road and it might be supposed that Bess was the original inspiration for Black Beauty, and the barn a prototype for Black Beauty’s stable. The book was published by Jarrolds in 1877. Philip Sewell died
Anna S. Þorvaldsdóttir November 2011, conducted by Ilan Volkov. Thorvaldsdottir was awarded the 2012 Nordic Council Music Prize for her orchestral work "Dreaming", one of the pieces on her album "Rhízōma" which was released on 25 October 2011 on the American label Innova Recordings. Anna S. Þorvaldsdóttir Anna Sigríður Þorvaldsdóttir (Anna Thorvaldsdottir) (born 11 July 1977) is an Icelandic composer and 2012 winner of the Nordic Council Music Prize. In 2015, she was chosen as the New York Philharmonic's Kravis Emerging Composer, an honor that includes a $50,000 cash prize and a commission to write a composition for the orchestra; she is the