Rev. John Payne, Amateur
(b. 1700, d. 1771)
Amateur
From A Dictionary of Irish Artists 1913
Poet, musician, engraver and painter, was son of William Payne (q.v.), and was born in Dublin in 1700. He entered Trinity College at the age of 15 in 1715, graduated in 1720, and was afterwards ordained and for many years held the living of Castlerickard, Co. Meath. He was an accomplished painter in oil and water-colour, especially of flowers. In 1757 he published by subscription a book, "Twelve Designs of Country Houses of two, three and four Rooms on a Floor, proper for glebes and small estates, with some observations on the common errors in building; by a gentleman. Dublin, printed for the author and sold by G. and A. Ewing at the Angel and Bible in Dame Street, 1757." In the preface he says: "The author is no architect but of quite a different profession"; and he also says that "four or five years elapsed between the finishing of the MS. and its publication." The book is illustrated with elevations and plans of the houses. The original manuscript of this work, with the author's drawings, is in the possession of Mr. W. G. Strickland. Payne also wrote a book on Ornamental Architecture which was, however, never published. He died on 26th May, 1771, in his house in Dorset Street, Dublin, and was buried in the church-yard of St. Mary's.