Dictionary of Irish Architects 1720 - 1940

Architect, of Dublin. Richard Johnston was born in 1759, the elder son of WILLIAM JOHNSTON WILLIAM JOHNSTON , of Armagh, by his first marriage to Margaret Houston. His younger brother, FRANCIS JOHNSTON FRANCIS JOHNSTON , was born a year later.(1) Richard Johnston was practising as an architect in Dublin by October 1784, when he was appointed supervising architect for the erection of the Rotunda Assembly Rooms.(2) In 1785 he received a payment of £50 from Henry Grattan.(3) According to Goslin, he acted as one of JAMES WYATT' JAMES WYATT' s agents in Ireland.(4) He died on 20 March 1806 and was buried in the churchyard of Taney Church of Ireland church at Dundrum, Co. Dublin.(5) His will was proved in the Prerogative Court in the same year.(6) Thomas J. Mulvany, in his Life of James Gandon (1846) writes of Johnston's 'commanding talents' and describes him as 'an architect of whom any country might be proud'.(7) Johnston's assistants appear to have included THOMAS CUNNINGHAM. THOMAS CUNNINGHAM. (8)

Addresses:(9) 40 Dorset Street, 1792-1800; 24 Eccles Street, 1801-6.

See WORKS.



References



(1) Genealogical information about the Johnston family was supplied by Miss Caroline Treffgarne and Mrs Amie Gladys Moody, descendants of William Johnston's youngest son, Andrew.
(2) Noreen Casey, 'Architecture and Decoration' in Ian Campbell Ross, ed., Public Virtue, Public Love' (1986), 80.
(3) PRONI T1700/9 (IAA, Edward McParland files, Acc. 2008/44).
(4) Murray Collection Catalogue, p.286.
(5) Journal of the Association for the Preservation of the Memorials of the Dead XI (1924), 286 (IAA, Edward McParland files, Acc. 2008/44).
(6) Arthur Vicars, Index to the Prerogative Wills of Ireland 1536-1810 (1897), 253.
(7) pp.93-94n.
(8) Information from Patrick Pilkington, Coole, Co. Westmeath, Sep 2017, citing dinner diary of Rev. John Robert Scott, 19 Feb 1794, in Scott papers, PRO Kew, TS11/303-315.
(9) From Wilson's Dublin Directory; Richard Johnston, architect, continues to be listed for a further six years, at 6 Eccles Street in 1807 and at 34 Eccles Street from 1808 until 1812.


16 work entries listed in chronological order for JOHNSTON, RICHARD [1]


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Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, PARNELL STREET (& CAVENDISH ROW), ROTUNDA ASSEMBLY ROOMS
Date: 1784-1786
Nature: Supervising architect for erection of assembly rooms. Appointed to prepare estimate and designs on which to base application to Parliament for funds. Designs based on ideas of Frederick Trench (?modified by Gandon).
Refs: Signed drawings for entrance porch, &c. in British Library C143d4 (photocopies in IAA); James Malton, A Picturesque and descriptive view of the city of Dublin (1799), unpaginated;   APSD, Part 17 (1866), J, 18; Noreen Casey, 'Architecture and Decoration' in Ian Campbell Ross, ed., Public Virtue, Public Love (1986), 78-82(illus.); Christine Casey, The Buildings of Ireland: Dublin (2005), 165-6.


Building: CO. WICKLOW, MOUNT KENNEDY (NEWTOWNMOUNTKENNEDY)
Date: 1784ca
Nature: Designs attr. to Richard Johston, but nature of RJ's involvement not established.
Refs: Drawings attr. to RJ in IAA, Murray Collection, nos. 952-955; for discussion of attribution, see Murray Collection catalogue pp.286-7.

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, O'CONNELL STREET, FOUNTAIN
Date: 1786-87
Nature: Paid for plan for same.
Refs: JHCI 13, clxxxix (?and 15, dxii) (IAA, Edward McParland files, Acc.2008/44); Wide Streets Commissioners' minutes, 26-28 Mar 1789, 23 Oct 1807

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, GOLDENBRIDGE
Date: 1787
Nature: Map of same by RJ in NLI.
Refs: Signed, dated map in NLI, AD 3425

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, GRAFTON STREET, NO. 107 (ROYAL IRISH ACADEMY)
Date: 1788
Nature: Minor work.
Refs: E.McP files, citing RIA council meeting minutes, Aug-Sep 1788

Building: CO. FERMANAGH, CASTLE COOLE (ENNISKILLEN)
Date: 1789
Nature: Proposed design, very similar to design by James Wyatt which was carried out.  Robinson suggests that RJ's design might have been based on earlier Wyatt ideas for the house.
Refs: Set of plans and elevations, signed and dated 14 Oct 1789, in collection of Lord Belmore, Castle Coole; Alistair Rowan, The Buildings of Ireland: North West Ulster (1979), 177;  John Martin Robinson, James Wyatt: architect to George III (New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 2012),118-119.

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, ANGLESEA STREET, HOUSES (002)
Date: 1789
Nature: At corner of College Gn.
Refs: Signed and dated elevation in NA WSC/MAPS/530

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, COLLEGE GREEN, NO. 001-5 (DALY'S CLUB HOUSE)
Date: 1789-90
Nature: Plans for club house and adjoining buildings in Foster Place. Front and walls nearly finished Nov 1789.
Refs: Wide Streets Commissioners' minutes, 20 Mar,3,13 Apr 1789, 5 Feb 1790, and elevations in Wide Streets Commissioners maps (NA WSC/Maps/445/2 and 136/1) (IAA, Edward McParland files, Acc.2008/44); Faulkner's Dublin Journal, 10-12 Nov 1789;  Christine Casey, The Buildings of Ireland: Dublin (2005), 412,419.


Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, TOWNSEND STREET, WESTMORELAND LOCK HOSPITAL
Date: 1792
Nature: Additions at rear.
Refs: 2 drawings in IAA, Murray Collection, Acc. 092/046, Nos. 808-9 (see Bernadette Goslin, 'A History and descriptive catalogue of the Murray Collection of architectural drawings' (MA thesis, University College, Dublin, 1990), 241-42); NA/SPO 509/26/4 (IAA, Edward McParland files, Acc.2008/44)

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, GREEN STREET, COURT HOUSE
Date: 1792-97
Nature: Attr. to RJ. by Wright, but see also Whitmore Davis.
Refs: G.N. Wright, Historical Guide to Dublin (2nd ed., 1821), 255

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, PORTLAND ROW, ALDBOROUGH HOUSE
Date: 1793-1796
Nature: Payments to 'Mr Johnson' for work at same 'would seem to indicate that the noted Irish architect Richard Johnson was responsible for the original designs', embodying ideas of his client the 2nd Earl of Aldborough.
Refs: Aidan O'Boyle, 'Aldborough House, Dublin:  a construction history', Irish Architectural and Decorative Studies 4 (Irish Georgian Society, 2001), 112,135;  Christine Casey, The Buildings of Ireland: Dublin (2005), 171.


Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, BRUNSWICK STREET NORTH, HOUSE OF INDUSTRY
Date: 1794
Nature: RJ contractor for same.
Refs: JHCI 16, xxvi (?and 17, cccxcvi) (IAA, Edward McParland files, Acc.2008/44)

Building: CO. WICKLOW, BALTINGLASS, COURT HOUSE
Date: 1795ca
Nature: RJ signs estimate of £558.10s. for repairs needed for same.
Refs: PRONI, Verner-Wingfield Papers, D2538/E/32 (see PRONI E-catalogue).

Building: CO. MEATH, TRIMLESTOWN CASTLE
Date: 1800ca
Nature: According to Casey & Rowan, style of remodelling and modernization 'recalls the work of Richard Johnston at Louth Hall'.
Refs: Christine Casey & Alistair Rowan, The Buildings of Ireland: North Leinster (1993), 524

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, THOLSEL & CITY MARSHALSEA (PROPOSED)
Date: 1805
Nature: RJ makes plans & estimates for same.
Refs: Freeman's Journal, ? Feb 1803 (IAA, Edward McParland files, Acc.2008/44); CARD XV 400-1,417

Building: CO. LOUTH, LOUTH HALL
Date: 1805-08
Nature: Joining of old tower house to main house and remodelling of tower house interior. For Plunkett family.
Refs: Christine Casey & Alistair Rowan, The Buildings of Ireland: North Leinster (1993), 495