[4][5] Kirtlington Park was constructed in the years 1742 to 1746, by William Smith of Warwick and John Sanderson, starting from plans by James Gibbs; the grounds were laid out by Lancelot Brown.

[14] He belonged to the Loyal Brotherhood, a Tory drinking club that also served as a London focus for party organisation, with other local MPs.

[16] In 1749 the Earl of Egmont made a survey of MPs for the Prince of Wales, finding Dashwood a "strongly tainted" Jacobite.

[18] At this period Tory political planning was low key, in meetings that resembled social events: one such dinner was held at Dashwood's house on 29 February 1756, at which voting rights were discussed.

Dashwood at this time faced serious political opposition, from Lady Susanna Keck at Great Tew as well as the Whig candidates.

In the subsequent legal proceedings, Dashwood and his Tory colleague Viscount Wenman were ousted, despite advice from distinguished lawyers including Roger Newdigate and William Blackstone.