The 1758 lease granted John Vincent the right to charge quayage to merchants' boats using the docks alongside the customs house.

[1] The building was constructed by Christopher Colles as superintendent with the aid of contractor Thomas Mark to a design by the Italian architect Davis Ducart.

The office's main responsibilities at that point became collecting taxes and customs revenue at its own port and to a lesser extent other work such as preventing smuggling.

In 1832, an attempt was made to blow up the Custom House with dynamite however the plans were foiled before any explosion could take place.

[6] In A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland, published by Samuel Lewis in 1837, the building is described as "a centre and two wings, built with hewn stone and handsomely ornamented".