Favour Royal
History
History
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Portclare was granted, in 1613, by [James I](/wiki/James_I_of_England "James I of England") to [Sir Thomas Ridgeway](/wiki/Sir_Thomas_Ridgeway "Sir Thomas Ridgeway"), a prominent figure in the [plantation of Ulster](/wiki/Plantation_of_Ulster "Plantation of Ulster"). [Samuel Lewis](/wiki/Samuel_Lewis_%28publisher%29 "Samuel Lewis (publisher)") recorded Ridgeway's grants as comprising  of arable land and extending over the present towns of [Aughnacloy](/wiki/Aughnacloy%2C_County_Tyrone "Aughnacloy, County Tyrone") and [Augher](/wiki/Augher "Augher"), including the districts of Lismore and Garvey, with all the intermediate country. In 1622 Ridgeway sold Portclare to Sir James Erskine, younger son of [Alexander Erskine of Gogar](/wiki/Alexander_Erskine_of_Gogar "Alexander Erskine of Gogar"). In 1665, ownership of the manor of Portclare was confirmed to the Erskines by [Charles II](/wiki/Charles_II_of_England "Charles II of England"), under the name Favour Royal. The estate was subsequently divided between Sir James Erskine's two granddaughters. Favour Royal comprises one part, while the other, lying to the west of Augher, is known as Spur Royal or [Augher Castle](/wiki/Augher%23Augher_Castle "Augher#Augher Castle").

[thumb\|St Mary's, Portclare, on the Favour Royal Estate](/wiki/File:St_Mary%27s_Church_of_Ireland%2C_Errigle_-_geograph.org.uk_-_169342.jpg "St Mary's Church of Ireland, Errigle - geograph.org.uk - 169342.jpg")
John Moutray married the Erskine heiress of Favour Royal, and the original house was built by them in 1670\. In 1816 the Moutrays briefly employed a local boy, [John Hughes](/wiki/John_Hughes_%28archbishop_of_New_York%29 "John Hughes (archbishop of New York)"), as an apprentice gardener \- Hughes would go on to become the Catholic Archbishop of New York in 1842\. The old house was destroyed in 1823 by an accidental fire, and was replaced with a larger structure by Captain John Corry Moutray of [Castle Coole](/wiki/Castle_Coole "Castle Coole"). Captain Moutray commissioned the architect [John Hargrave](/wiki/John_Hargrave_%28architect%29 "John Hargrave (architect)") to design the new building, which was completed in 1825 in a [Tudor revival](/wiki/Tudor_revival_architecture "Tudor revival architecture") style. Captain Moutray also commissioned the building of a private chapel on the estate, consecrated on 3 July 1835, which is now the parish church of St Mary's, Portclare. Favour Royal continued to be the family home of the Moutrays until 1976, when the house, demesne and contents were sold. It was occupied until the 1990s but is now derelict.

The demesne comprised  of fertile and highly cultivated land, and is finely diversified and richly wooded. The house is situated on the bank of the [River Blackwater](/wiki/River_Blackwater%2C_Northern_Ireland "River Blackwater, Northern Ireland"), and is built of freestone found on the estate. It is embellished with a noble portico, and with elegant architectural details. The demesne includes an ornamental lake and an 18th\-century walled garden, and is listed on the [Register of Parks, Gardens and Demesnes of Special Historic Interest](/wiki/Register_of_Parks%2C_Gardens_and_Demesnes_of_Special_Historic_Interest "Register of Parks, Gardens and Demesnes of Special Historic Interest"). More recently it has been planted with coniferous forestry by the [Forest Service Northern Ireland](/wiki/Forest_Service_Northern_Ireland "Forest Service Northern Ireland"). Favour Royal Forest is one of Ireland's Millennium Forest sites. Several planning applications were submitted for permission to restore Favour Royal as a hotel and golf course, but these expired, and the house was on the market in 2013\.


When was the private chapel on Favour Royal consecrated?