John Buonarotti, architect and designer, was born on the 24th January 1775 in Middlesex. He was the second son of John Papworth (1750-1799), a leading stuccoist. Before he entered the Royal Academy Schools in 1798, John Buanarotti had been apprenticed to Thomas Wapshott, under whose direction he became involved with executing the designs of John Plaw, Thomas Hardwick, and Michael Novosielski.
Throughout his career, Papworth's main clients were bankers, industrialists and businessmen for whom he worked as an internal furnisher, architect, as well as a landscape designer. In addition to being a town planner in Cheltenham (1820s) Papworth was also responsible for a series of works at a number of country houses. Such commissions included: Laleham Park, Middlesex (1803-6); Leigham Court, Streatham (1820-22); as well as the lodges and entrance gateways at Fonthill Abbey, Wiltshire (1821-42).
In 1846 Papworth retired due to ill health and he later died at Little Paxton, Huntingdonshire on the 16th June 1847.