Outer farm yard, at Favor Royal House, Favour Royal Road, Augher, Dungannon, Co Tyrone, BT77 OEW

Outer farm yard at Favor Royal House

This range of derelict farm buildings lies within the Favour Royal demesne near Augher, County Tyrone. Although of some interest within the estate group, the buildings are partially collapsed and have few features of architectural interest.

The two ranges of outbuildings are constructed in rubble stone and plain work, with undressed coachways, doors and window openings. The first range faces north; the second, which abuts the east gable of the first, faces northwest. A large overgrown yard lies to the front. Both ranges are now roofless and derelict. Part of the north-facing block has collapsed, and part of the northwest-facing block bears a datestone with raised letters reading '1856'.

These outbuildings form part of the wider Favour Royal demesne, which is bounded to the north by the River Blackwater, to the east by Derrymeen Road, to the south by the border with County Monaghan, to the west by the Church of St. Mary's Portclare, and to the northwest by Favour Royal Road. The demesne contains several other listed structures including the main Tudor Manorial Style house (built 1825), a lodge, main gates, two bridges, a garden cottage, a walled garden, a pigsty and a weigh house.

The first Ordnance Survey map of 1834 shows these outbuildings already in place, and they appear again on the 1854 map. The farm buildings date from between 1840 and 1859.

The Favour Royal estate has a long history. James I granted Sir Thomas Ridgeway 740 acres of land covering this area in 1613. Sir James Erskine later purchased the Augher estates from Ridgeway. Charles II confirmed the Manor of Portclare (under the name of Favor Royal) to the Erskine family in 1665. The estate was eventually divided between two granddaughters of the Erskine family. One portion became Spur Royal (Augher Castle) and the other Favor Royal. One of Erskine's granddaughters married John Moutray; they built the first house and created the demesne in 1670. That house stood until it was destroyed by accidental fire in 1823. Captain John Corry Moutray, the occupant at the time, employed architect John Hargrave to design the replacement house, which was completed in 1825. The Moutrays became the largest landowners in the valley and at one time held the rental of 36 townlands.