Bradock Island, Killinchy, Newtownards, BT23 6PZ

Bradock Island, Killinchy, Newtownards

This single-storey Edwardian cottage, built in 1909, is a fine example of late Arts and Crafts design and remains in remarkably original condition. It holds significant historical importance through its connection with the Andrews family of Titanic fame.

The house sits on one acre of Bradock Island, which is accessible on foot for two hours either side of low tide, but otherwise only by boat. It was built as a holiday home and duck shooting lodge by three brothers—John, Thomas and James Andrews. The design is said to have been influenced by Thomas Andrews, Chief Naval Architect for Harland & Wolff, and is reportedly based on a 'ships corridor' layout with berths to either side. Thomas Andrews was the designer of the Titanic and perished when the ship sank in the North Atlantic in 1912. His brother John later became Prime Minister of Northern Ireland (1940–43), whilst James became Lord Chief Justice.

The building is rectangular in plan, oriented north-east to south-west, with an irregular shaped return to the north-west facade. The main entrance is a recessed porch, left of centre on the south-east elevation, with a painted timber panelled door featuring nine upper glazed panes. Either side of the door within the recess are sliding sash and case windows, the left being wider. To the left stands a prominent circular three-quarter circle bay window with a tower-like character. To the left of the recess are three evenly spaced tripartite sliding sash and case windows. The north-west facade has three unevenly spaced sliding sash and case windows, with a recessed door opening to the left and a tripartite window to the right. Further left are two sliding sash and case windows, followed by a high wall enclosing a small yard. This yard wall has two door openings—one to the open yard on the north-east and double doors on the north-west—obscuring much of the north-west wall of the return.

The north-east wall of the main section is without openings. The return's north-west wall has one centrally placed tripartite window. The south-west wall of the return contains one tripartite window to the left side, centred within a small square corner bay projection, to the right of which are double French doors. A very narrow sliding sash and case window is set in the far corner. These doors open onto a small patio with a low enclosing wall incorporating a barbecue.

At the south-east end of the main rectangular portion are two bay windows: a square bay set at forty-five degrees to the left, and a circular three-quarter circle bay to the right. The recesses created by the bay windows and main porch have additional timber post supports.

The walls are roughcast. All rainwater goods are cast iron. The roof is finished with Bangor Blue slates and red fire clay ridge tiles of batten roll type, with the roof pitch splaying slightly at the eaves. The conical roof to the circular bay is surmounted with a wrought iron weather vane. Three chimneys, all rendered and splaying in the long direction, have stone caps and fire clay pots.

The dining room was extended in the 1930s–40s. French doors were added to the kitchen in 1997, when the rainwater goods were also replaced. The building is very well maintained and retains a high degree of historic fabric.