John Percy Severn
Judge's Lodging Museum, Presteigne

Law and Order

The Magistrates

John Percy Severn, 1814-1900

J P Severn was a local squire from the Hall at Penybont near Llandrindod Wells. He was a landowner of some 4000 acres, a director of two railway companies, a captain of the Knighton Volunteers, a life governor of the Llandrindod Wells Cottage Hospital and a magistrate with a reputation for being stern but just. When he was on the bench for the case of R v Bridgett in 1891 he was 77 years old, and died 9 years later at the age of 86.

Major W E Twyning

Another of the magistrates in the case of R v Bridgett was Major W E Twyning of the noted tea planting family. He was a retired major of the 18th Regiment who lived in a large house in Ithon Road, Llandrindod Wells called Brynithon:

Major Twyning was also Honorary Secretary to the first Committee of Management of the Llandrindod Wells Cottage Hospital.

Lydia Twyning, Major Twyning's wife, is also recorded to have visited the local chemist's.