Having set up his own practice, his early work consisted mostly of alterations, laying out blocks for building, and designing villas. He converted the Old Orchard Street Theatre into a Catholic church. His first important work was the enlargement of the Roman Catholic Downside College, (1821-3) near Bath, parts of which were praised by Pugin. His work there included the vaulted Gothic chapel, which was originally heavily pinnacled. In 1824 he built Christ Church at Rode Hill, also in Gothic style, and the next year he acted both as developer and architect on the "Corridor" in Bath.