 He inherited Sir William Blackett's mansion at Pilgrim Street, Newcastle and in 1749 inherited his father's baronetcy and estates at Calverley and Esholt, Yorkshire, which he soon sold.He settled at Cambo, where he expended considerable sums on the improvement of Wallington Hall, remodelling in the then fashionable Palladian style to designs by architect Daniel Garrett.In 1755, he commissioned Garrett to build a folly in the style of a medieval castle (Rothley Castle) on the hillside above Wallington.