 Thomas Harrison was born in Richmond , Yorkshire , England , the son of a joiner , also named Thomas . His precise date of birth is not known , but it is likely that he was baptised on 7 August 1744 . Little is known about his early life , other than he attended Richmond Grammar School , and it is presumed that he worked with his father . In 1769 he was sponsored by a local landowner , Sir Lawrence Dundas of Aske Hall , to join George Cuitt ( who later became a landscape painter ) to study in Rome . Here he studied at the Accademia di San Luca , and during his seven years in Rome , amongst other activities , made drawings of Roman structures , including temples and Trajan 's Column . In 1770 Harrison submitted a design to Pope Clement XIV for converting the Vatican Cortile del Belvedere into a museum for antique statues . This was " favourably received but not in the end adopted " . Three years later he entered the Accademia 's competition to re @-@ plan the Piazza del Popolo . His design was unsuccessful , but it was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1777 . Following the failure of this design to be accepted , he petitioned the pope , and was awarded gold and silver medals , and made Accademico di Merito . He was then commissioned by the pope to alter the sacristy of St Peter 's , but the pope died before the work started . Harrison returned to England in 1776 , probably via France , as he made drawings of buildings in Nîmes and Paris . He produced designs for a bridge and a road in London , which were not accepted , and he returned to Richmond in 1778 . 
