Friends old meeting house, Belfast Road, Milecross, near Newtownards, Co Down, BT23 4TJ

This is a small, rubble-built former Quaker meeting house, constructed around 1796, situated just south of the Belfast Road, approximately half a mile northwest of Newtownards, County Down. The rectangular building features an apsidal (semicircular) porch, with walls of rubble stone and a Bangor blue slated gable roof. The north-facing side of the porch has an entrance door constructed of timber sheeting, with sandstone dressings and a keystone bearing the inscribed date “1796.” A semicircular-headed window opening is present on the west face of the porch, now fitted with a modern timber frame. A recess resembling a doorway is visible on the south face of the porch. The main north and south walls of the building each contain two windows. The east-facing gable has a high-level flat-arch window, with the original window opening likely situated directly below. The building was restored around 1984 by Ards Borough Council and is now used as a multipurpose hall for art classes, sports, and exhibitions. A small, now disused graveyard lies to the east, and a modern leisure centre is situated to the south. The meeting house was originally built on land belonging to Thomas Bradshaw (a Quaker) of nearby Milecross Lodge. It remained in use until around 1830, falling into ruin during the 20th century before its restoration. Historical records indicate the Bradshaw family acquired the Milecross townland in 1726.