Re-drawn to a reduced scale with the addition of three small buildings on the perimeter that were presumably stores or extra accommodation, the drawing was made as a draft illustration to Soane's unpublished 'Memoirs of the professional life of an architect between the years 1768 and 1835'. In this he describes 'an excursion to Naples with his Lordship, [where] we stopped to examine the remains of the Villa of Lucullus, near Terracina ... 'when the Bishop exclaimed, 'Where is the canile [cubile] and tugurium? I should like to form some idea of a classical dog-kennel, as I intend to build one at the Downhill for the hounds of my eldest son'. His Lordship, with his usual vivacity, observed, 'This will be a fine subject for the display of your creative talents.' I took the hint, and soon after our arrival at Naples [29 December 1779 see Italian sketchbook with notes, 1779, volume 39], I presented his Lordship with two architectural visions on the subject...'