[2] He was appointed to the alienations office in 1689, probably to reward his father for his support of King William in the Glorious Revolution and succeeded to the stewardship of the manor of Kirton on the death of his elder brother, Nicholas, in 1693.
[1] Saunderson was returned as a Whig Member of Parliament for Newark at the 1698 English general election He was considered a Court supporter, and voted against the disbanding bill on 18 January 1699.
He held the office of Vice-Admiral of Lincolnshire from 1705 and the stewardship of the honor of Tickhill from 1708, retaining both for the rest of his life.
He was created Baron Saunderson of Saxby, Lincolnshire in 1714,and Viscount Castleton in the English peerage in 1716.
[1] All his titles became extinct and his estates passed to his cousin Thomas Lumley (later 3rd Earl of Scarbrough), who thereupon took the additional surname of Saunderson, by Act of Parliament.