He matriculated at Wadham College, Oxford on 19 March 1675, aged 15 and was also admitted at the Middle Temple in 1675.
At the 1689 English general election he was defeated in the poll at Cricklade, but was seated on petition on 5 April 1689.
He was undecided where to stand for Parliament again until the 1705 English general election when he was returned unopposed as MP for Lyme Regis.
He was returned as a Whig for Lyme Regis in a contest at the 1708 British general election.
He died without issue in 1721 and the Hannington estate passed to his brother William, the Socinian author.