Bradock Island

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Set on the small (one acre) Bradock Island, this unobtrusive single storey Arts and Crafts house was built in 1909 as a holiday home for the Andrews family. The island is accessable by foot two hours before and after the low tide, but is only accessible by boat at other times.

The house is rectangular (lying NE/SW) with an irregular shaped return to the NW facade.

The main entrance is located in a recessed porch left of centre on the SE elevation. The door is painted timber panelled and has nine upper glazed panes. Also within the recess and either side of the door are sliding sash and case windows, that to the left being wider. The left side of the recess stops against the circular (3/4 circle) ‘tower like’ bay window. To the left of the recess are three evenly spaced tripartite sliding sash and case windows. The NW facade has three unevenly spaced sliding sash and case windows. To the left of the NW facade is a recessed door opening, to the right of which is one tripartite window, as before, to the left of which are two sliding sash and case windows, as before. To the right of this is a high wall enclosing a small yard. The yard wall has two door openings one to the open yard(NE) and a double door opening (NW). The wall obscures sight of most of the NW wall of the return. The remainder of the NE wall is with out openings. The NW of the return has one centrally placed tripartite window. The SW of the return has one tripartite window to the left side and this is centred within a small square corner (bay projection to the right of which are double French doors. To the right again is one very narrow sliding sash and case window set right in the corner. The doors open on to a small patio, the low enclosing wall of which incorporates a barbecue. The SE end of the main rectangular portion has two bay windows. To the left is a square bay set at forty five degrees and to the right is a circular (3/4 circle)

The recesses created by the bay windows and the main porch have additional timber post supports. Walls are rough cast and rw goods are all cast iron. The roof is finished with Bangor Blue slates with red fire clay ridge tiles(batten role type). The roof pitch splays slightly at the eaves. The roof to the circular bay is conical and is surmounted with a wrought iron weather vane. There are three chimneys all of which are rendered and splay in the long direction and have stone caps and fire clay pots.

Historical information

This house was built in 1909 by three brothers, John, Thomas and James Andrews, as a holiday home/ duck shooting lodge for their families. It is said by family members that the design was influenced by Thomas Andrews, Chief Naval Architect for Harland & Wolf., and based on a ‘ships corridor’ with berths to either side. Thomas designed the ill fated Titanic and later drowned on the Titanic when it sank in the North Atlantic in 1912. His brother John became Prime Minister for Northern Ireland 1940-3 and his other brother, James, became Lord Chief Justice.

The dining room was extended in the 1930/40’s. French doors were added to the kitchen in 1997. and rain water goods were replaced at this time also.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
H-. Alterations detracting from building
H+. Alterations enhancing the building
I. Quality and survival of Interior
J. Setting

Criteria for listing: historic interest

V. Authorship
W. Northern Ireland/International Interest

Evaluation

This single storey Edwardian cottage is a good example of a late Arts & Crafts holiday home. It is very well maintained and in remarkably original condition. Historic connections with the Andrews family of Titanic fame make this an important building.