In September 1867, when Anna was 47 years old, she and her parents moved into the White House on Spixworth Road in Old Catton.  The location was probably chosen as it lay on the road between Philip's house on the outskirts of Norwich and Buxton. Known today as Anna Sewell House, the house had out-buildings that are now known as 2 and 4 Church Street.  The old stables now provide garaging and a mews flat.  The small front garden between the house and the road was "Anna's garden". Anna's mother Mary wrote in one of her letters that the garden was "designed and kept up for the pleasure of the toiling artisans of Norwich, whose Sunday afternoon walks led them in large numbers to Old Catton". Across the road was Samuel Gurney Buxton's Deer Park where horses grazed. From the rear of the house were views of the garden, fields and trees to the village church, St Margaret's.

At the time of Anna's residence, Old Catton was a small well-kept village of some 650 people.  It was home to many Norwich merchants and to the Buxton family at Catton Hall, to whom the Sewell family became well known.

Some of the residents of Old Catton believe that Anna drew inspiration for Black Beauty from a horse grazing opposite her house in the Deer Park.  In fact this is unlikely.  Anna's love of horses began at a very young age.  She became very dependant on them for mobility as her disabilities grew worse.  Anna's travels around the country exposed her to much ill treatment of horses.  The late 1800's saw Britain becoming an industrial power-house and horses were vital for almost every form of transport.  Often, these horses were victims of great cruelty and neglect and they frequently died in harness due to over work and lack of care.

In reality, Anna's inspiration for Black Beauty probably came from her brother Philip's black horse called Bessie.

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