In accordance with the wish of his father, who died in 1799, he was sent to study law at Manchester, and at the end of a year became the pupil of a barrister in London; but he never set himself seriously to prepare for a career.
In 1811 he returned to London, and accepted a situation in a public office; but this he relinquished in 1813, to accompany William Daniell A.R.A., in a voyage round Great Britain.
Disagreeing with Daniell over his plans for the future volumes, Ayton declined to proceed further with the book, and started play-writing.
Two of his farces, acted at Covent Garden, were failures; but he adapted from the French several pieces for the English Opera House with moderate success.
During a voyage between Scarborough and London, Ayton was nearly shipwrecked, and received an injury to his ankle which confined him to bed for more than a year.