The eldest son of Samuel Sandars of Lochnere, near Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, he matriculated at Balliol College, Oxford, on 30 November 1843.
in 1848 (having taken first-class honours in literis humanioribus and the chancellor's Latin-verse prize), became fellow of Oriel College in 1849, and proceeded M.A.
[1][2] Sandars was called to the bar in 1851, and was reader of constitutional law and history to the Inns of Court from 1865 to 1873.
He was also an early contributor to the Saturday Review, and a close friend of James FitzJames Stephen.
[3] Sandars married, on 25 May 1851, Margaret, second daughter of William Hanmer of Bodnod Hall, Denbighshire, and left a family.