Pencil drawing on paper showing an unidentified sketch and calculations relating to Sandroyd, Cobham.

Sandroyd, now known as Benfleet Hall, in Cobham, Surrey, was Webb's second studio house. It was commissioned by James Spencer Stanhope, an aristocratic painter who had been the pupil of George Frederick Watts, for whom Webb would also later design a studio house. Sandroyd was originally designed in 1860 and constructed by 1861; in 1864 Webb enlarged the domestic offices, and in 1870 carried out further additions. Webb also designed some of the interior details, such as the fireplaces and stained glass panels.

Philip Speakman Webb (Oxford, 1831-Sussex, 1915) was a prominent British architect who designed numerous buildings throughout Great Britain. Known for his contributions to British vernacular architecture, Webb was also a skilled draughtsman, and designer of tableware, tiles, stained glass, and furniture. He also designed gravestones and memorials for his friends and clients. Webb lent his hand to many collaborative projects and worked closely with his colleagues, namely William Morris, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, and Edward Burne Jones. His precise drawings of animals, particularly birds, frequently adorn tiles, stained glass, textiles, and wallpaper produced by Morris and Co. Webb is best known for designing Morris’ Red House in Bexleyheath, as well as Clouds House, Naworth Castle, and several London town houses. Among his other accomplishments, Webb is attributed with laying the groundwork for the Arts and Crafts and Modern movements, establishing longstanding principles in historic preservation, and creating some of the most influential designs still studied and celebrated today.