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H.M. Factory, Gretna, Site 3: Eastriggs
Date 7 April 2022
Event ID 1154898
Category Recording
Type Field Visit
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1154898
Canmore ID 374936
NY26SW 38.15
NY 24640 65303
Nothing is visible of a large building which was situated in open, boggy ground some 20m N of the Glycerine Distillery (NY26SW 92) and 25m SW of the Bag Washing Plant (NY26SW 38.14).
This building is identified as a Coke Crushing Plant on a plan of the site (MMW 1919, plan) given with a Ministry of Munitions of War report outlining the processes involved in the manufacture of the cordite propellant during the First World War at H.M. Factory, Gretna (Site 3). It was roughly rectangular on plan and measured 44m from N to S by 13m transversely overall. A ground-based, contemporary official photograph taken after construction (MUN 5-297 pt1, 222) held in the National Archives at Kew, shows what appears to be a yard to its N containing mountains of coke, a crane and a cabin on top of a tall steel frame. The S end of the site of the building has been destroyed by the railway line running between Explosives Magazines R2 and R3 (NY26NW 46.12).
The plant fell into lot 505, which was offered for sale by on 22-5 July 1924 (HM Treasury 1924, 96-100; Carlisle City Archives, DX 170/38), when the ground was purchased by Messrs James Jackson & Co Ltd, St Vincent Street, Glasgow (Carlisle City Archives, DX 2040/3). Its foundations are faintly visible on an aerial photograph (M124/13 04127) flown on 19 August 1940.
Visited by HES Heritage Recording (MMD and ATW), 7 April 2022
