‘Whatever their origins, geographical location or original functions, a crucial factor in the development of many settlements during the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries was association with a particular landowner.’(l) What this thesis sets out to undertake is an examination of one such area, considerably influenced not in this case by the efforts of one individual alone, but rather by the combined efforts of generations of one individual land owning family. The location of interest is Abbeyleix, Co. Laois, the seat of each consecutive viscount de Vesci from 1776-1995. Abbeyleix, a town in Co. Laois, situated on the main Cork - Dublin road, became home to the de Vesci family in 1698 when Sir Thomas Vesey obtained the estate there through marraige (2) The estate remained in the de Vesci hands until 1995 when it was sold for a sum in excess of three million pounds. The name de Vesci has been synonymous with Abbeyleix for centuries during which time ‘under the encouragement of the de Vesci family the neighbourhood was relatively fortunate.’(3) As this work unfolds it will, I hope, progressively highlight the reasons why Abbeyleix and its surrounding areas were fortunate to have this family as patrons. Its purpose is to document the story of the de vesci family during the period 1698 - 1884 and to throw light on the aspects of local social, political and economic history.