 He succeeded as fourth Baronet on his father's death in 1785.His principal seat was Normanton Park where he held considerable property, augmented by further large holdings north of the Grimsthorpe Estate in Kesteven.In 1795 he was appointed High Sheriff of Rutland and in 1796 he was elected to the House of Commons for Lincolnshire as a Whig, a seat he held until 1807, before representing Rutland from 1812 to 1841.