William Talman was producing designs for the 'Buildings' of John Holles, the 1st Duke of Newcastle, at Welbeck in 1703 (see his letter to the Duke, 17 April 1703, printed in Wren Society, XVII, p. 8; pl. 1). The design for a new courtyard house (1) is one of these. The design for a stable or riding house (2) compares closely in its architectural style with another design for Welbeck in the Welbeck Abbey archives (ibid., pl. 13).