He descended from the Arcedecknes, an Anglo-Irish family who arrived in Suffolk and made it their home.
A creole,[4] Arcedeckne was educated at Eton and Christ Church, Oxford.
[5] Benjamin Cowell, Arcedeckne's brother-in-law, was his business partner, arranging the insurance for sugar cargoes shipped to England from Golden Grove.
[9] In 1780, he became MP for Wallingford and, in 1784, he sat for Westbury, resigning from the latter by becoming Steward of the Manor of East Hendred.
He had married Catherine, daughter and coheir of John Leigh of Northcourt Manor, Isle of Wight.