[2] He was educated at Harrow School, and matriculated at Christ Church, Oxford in 1825, graduating B.A.

[4][5] He was elected in 1830 as the Member of Parliament for County Armagh in the British House of Commons, a seat he held until 1847, when he was ennobled as 1st Baron Acheson, of Clancairney, County Armagh, in the Peerage of the United Kingdom.

[4] He was appointed lord-lieutenant and custos rotulorum of County Armagh from February 1864 to his death later that year.

[4] On 22 June 1832, he was married to Lady Theodosia Brabazon (1808-1876), daughter of John Brabazon, 10th Earl of Meath and the former Lady Melosina Adelaide Meade (fourth daughter of John Meade, 1st Earl of Clanwilliam).

Together, they were the parents of seven children:[2] Lord Gosford died on 15 June 1864 and was succeeded by his son, Archibald.