ABSTRACT
This chapter reveals the complex relationships between the different vested interests in the Dublin suburbs, an invisible layer of control that had a great impact on its architecture. In Dublin, the form of land tenure had driven much of development during the eighteenth century, primarily by the Gardiner and Fitzwilliam estates to the east of the city. The chapter assesses the provision of infrastructure in each of the three districts of Pembroke, Rathgar and Kingstown. In Pembroke and Kingstown, varying degrees of control were imposed by the landed estate system, in contrast to Rathgar where the private landowner prevailed. The chapter focuses on the provision of roads, paths and kerbs, as well as the supply of drainage and water. It analyses the provision of infrastructure for houses developed by Meade, Carvill and Crosthwaite, revealing the challenges in transforming green fields to new residential districts.
