Wigtown, Carsegowan, Ministry Of Supply Black Powder Factory

NX45NW 48 centred 4275 5938

Works (disused) [NAT]

OS (GIS) MasterMap, July 2009.

Visible on vertical air photograph, (OS 66/103/111, flown 1966).

(Undated) information in NMRS.

NX 428 595 (centre) A short-notice forestry survey was undertaken by Headland Archaeology Ltd of the former Wigtown blackpowder works. The works operated from 1940 until 1945, when it was closed down and all machinery removed from the site. The site has remained more or less unaltered since that time and most brick, concrete and earth structures survive. A photographic record of these structures was compiled and a copy has been deposited in the NMRS.

Sponsor: Historic Scotland

S Carter 1997

Situated on the E side of the A714 between Newton Stewart and Wigtown N of Carsegowan Moss are the extensive remains of the ICI explosives factory. Built just after the outbreak of the war (1939/1940), its purpose was to produce gunpowder or blackpowder. No shells were filled at this site, the gunpowder being transported in granular form by rail. All materials for the factory, either incoming or outgoing were by rail through a siding to the Whithorn branch railway, the course of which can still be seen to the S.

The factory was surrounded by a perimeter fence with the only entrance gate, near Carsegowan Cottage being staffed by police. This building was converted into a dwelling house after the war. Passing through this gate, office blocks, staff canteen, the laboratory with, further E, workshops, fire station, charcoal burners, laundry and the works canteen. Most buildings were constructed of brick and concrete. The tall mill buildings are still extant and many of the smaller buildings are set apart and camouflaged with soil. A narrow guage railway was used to convey materials around the site.

A plan of the site exists as at 25 August 1945, showing the location of the last explosion, (PRO HO/D 76.11144, MS Factory, Wigtown) shortly before the works closed. There had been two previous explosions within the factory site, one in the mills, the other in the blender, all explosions caused loss of life.

J Guy 1999; NMRS MS 810/6, 71-73 (vol 1); 15 (vol 2)

The ICI Explosives Factory for gunpowder and blackpowder is visible on vertical air photographs (106G/Scot/UK 41, 4078-4080, flown 4 May 1946), which shows the site at full extent. Much of the site overlies rig and furrow cultivation.

Many of the buildings are protected by earth banks.

The vertical air photograph also shows the location of the major explosion that ocurred at the Corning House (M2) on official PRO plan of 1945 (ibid) in April 1944.

The factory was opened in late 1940 and at maximum capacity produced over 3,200 tons per annum. It was officially closed in October 1945, but activity had been minimal after June 1945.

Information from RCAHMS (MO, DE), April 2006.

'MS Factory Wigtown' was a Ministry of Supply explosives factory opened during World War Two to supply black powder primarily for the production of fuses for shells and bombs. Production was halted after an accident, rumoured to have been caused by a worker smoking a cigarette in a magazine (M2). The resulting fatal explosion is mapped out in a 'Debris Plan of Area', for details of which see C56677, and also an aerial photograph taken by the RAF in 1946 (Sortie 10GG/SCOT/UK41, print 4079, dated 4-5-1946).

Information from RCAHMS (MKO), 2000.