Design in ink and coloured wash on thin paper, pasted to a sheet of thick cream paper which has been folded in half. The sheet is marked 'No. 41' and is signed by Philip Webb and dated May 14th 1877. The drawings show a section through the ground floor window, drawn to a 1/2 inch scale, and full-size details of the corbels.
Naworth Castle in Brampton, Cumberland, was the country home of George and Rosalind Howard. The castle originally dated from the 14th century, and from 1873-79 the Howards employed Webb to make alterations and enlargements that remained in keeping with the historic character of the building. From 1877 Webb was also the official architect to the Naworth Estate. He eventually resigned from his position and ended his work at Naworth after finding that George Howard had permitted 'irreparable' alterations to the historic fabric of the building.

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.