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
William Sewell (poet) the Law Commission. William Sewell (poet) William Seymour (Bill) Sewell (1 December 1951 – 29 January 2003) was a New Zealand poet. He was a Burns Fellow at Otago University, Dunedin in 1981–82. He was a frequent reviewer of books, particularly for the periodical "New Zealand Books", to which he was appointed co-editor in 1997. He was also a book editor. He died of cancer in Wellington. He published three collections of poems: "Solo Flight" (1982), "Wheels within Wheels" (1983) and "Making the Far Land Glow" (1986) and also "A Guide to the Rimutaka Forest Park" (1989). His poems have