Thomas Harris heard Incledon at Bath, and engaged him, at first for three years, for Covent Garden. In accepting this offer the tenor narrowly missed a better one – for higher fees and a longer term – made soon afterwards by Thomas Linley. Incledon kept his agreement however, although his experiences with Covent Garden were not always of the happiest. He made a successful debut there in 1790 as Dermont in "The Poor Soldier" by William Shield, who became a lifelong friend and associate. In February 1791 he appeared in Shield's opera "The Woodman", being universally encored in his ballad 'The streamlet', and with Charles Bannister in the same cast singing 'Much more a helpless woman'.