Francis Johnston

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Johnston, Francis (1760–1829), one of the leading architects of the early 19th century in Ireland. Trained by English architect Thomas Cooley, Johnston succeeded his tutor in the patronage of Primate Robinson in his native Armagh. Johnston travelled little, and the bulk of his work was influenced by local example, particularly the designs of James Wyatt and James Gandon. His stylistic versatility is reflected in the range of his classical work, from the austere, Greek revival, Townley Hall, Co. Louth (1790s), to the General Post Office in Dublin (1815–18), and St George's church, Dublin (1802–c.1817), inspired by the English architect James Gibbs. He was a pioneer of the picturesque ‘castle style’ of country house; amongst his earlier works in the style were the influential Charleville Forest, Co. Offaly (1801–12), and Killeen Castle, Co. Meath (1802–3). His Chapel Royal at Dublin Castle (1807–14) is perhaps the best example of his Gothic revival work. In 1805 he was appointed architect of the Board of Works and Civil Buildings and as such was responsible for the design of a number of institutions including Richmond penitentiary (1811) and Armagh and Belfast lunatic asylums (1820, 1826). He was an avid art collector, and a founder member of the Royal Hibernian Academy, of which he was president between 1824 and 1829.

Rachel Moss

Johnston, Francis (1760–1829). Irish architect, he trained under Cooley and worked for Richard Robinson, Archbishop of Armagh (1765–94). He was appointed Architect to the Board of Works and Civil Buildings in Dublin (1805). Influenced by James Wyatt and Gandon, his work was eclectic, and includes St George's Church, Dublin (1802–17—which has echoes of work by Gibbs), the austere but beautifully proportioned Neo-Classical Townley Hall, Drogheda, Co. Louth (from 1793), and the grim Richmond Penitentiary, Grange Gorman Lane (1812–20). He was largely responsible for converting Pearce's Parliament House, Dublin, to the Bank of Ireland (1804–8), built the Chapel Royal, Dublin Castle (1807–14), and designed the Court House, Armagh (from 1809). His handsome Greek Revival General Post Office, Dublin (1814–18), was probably his best work, although the very pretty Strawberry Hill Gothick house, Charleville Forest, Tullamore, Co. Offaly (1800–12), is the finest early C19 Picturesque house in Ireland. He completed King's Inns, Dublin, by Gandon in 1817, and built the Royal Hibernian Academy (1824–6).

Bibliography

Bence-Jones (1988);
M. Craig (1982);
McParland (1969, 1971–2)