Born on 10 August 1700, James was the second surviving son of Sir Edward Wigley of Scraptoft Hall and his wife Laetitia Cressey.

[1] By this time, Wigley had inherited Scraptoft Hall following the death of his father in 1711,[3] and his older brother in 1716.

[1] The hall was enlarged and completely remodelled by his mother, Lady Wigley, in 1723, whilst James laid out grounds including a lake, a pond, and a mound concealing a small shell-lined grotto topped by a Chinese-style pavilion.

He voted consistently against the governments of George II, Lord Egmont describing him as "much such another man as Smith," i.e. "a good natured Tory who does not love attendance.

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