In 1770 John Vesey, 2nd Viscount de Vesci decided that the old town of Abbeyleix was an unsuitable town for his tenantry, and unlikely to prosper. His decision to built a new town was both bold and decisive and the results of this decision has given us the Planned Estate town that is Abbeyleix today. The concept of the Planned Estate Town is not unique in Ireland, other notable Planned Estate Towns would be Westport in Co. Mayo and Adare in Co. Limerick. There is also a strong link between Abbeyleix and Blessington, Co. Wicklow, which was built by Archbishop Michael Boyle, the last ecclesiastical Lord Chancellor. Michael Boyle's secretary was one Denny Muschamp who was married to a daughter of the Archbishop and whose daughter Mary was in time married to Bishop Thomas Vesey. When the couple married Denny Muschamp gave them a present of the former Abbeylands at Abbeyleix, which he had acquired in a land deal circa 1674.