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Portlaw —County Waterford

Built by the Malcolmsons as a model village for the workers of their cotton-spinning mills, Portlaw suffered when the Irish industry was squeezed by protective tax barriers. These were forced on the parliament at Westminster by English interests to protect their trade during the 19th century.
It later became a centre for the tannery industry in Ireland. The parish church dates from 1858 and was designed by J.J. McCarthy, known as 'the Irish Pugin'. North of the village, but not open to the public, is Mayfield (see picture above), an 1840s Italianate house, built for the Malcolmsons.