Although traditionally titled Cullen Castle, this drawing depicts Cullen House, situated to the south-west of the town of Cullen. The house stands in a naturally dramatic woodland setting, with the ravine of the Deskford Burn to the west. Adam has used a low viewpoint to emphasise the height of the single span river bridge, which was designed by his father William Adam in 1744. Small figures, looking down from the bridge and fishing and strolling by the river, provide a further indication of scale, while strong contrasts between light and shadow add to the grandeur of the scene. Adam made hundreds of landscape drawings throughout his career, exploring the relationship between buildings and settings, which informed his own architectural designs.