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Gretna, Hm Factory, Eastriggs Explosives Factory, Acids Section, Preliminary Acid Mixing House (South)
Acid Works (First World War)
Site Name Gretna, Hm Factory, Eastriggs Explosives Factory, Acids Section, Preliminary Acid Mixing House (South)
Classification Acid Works (First World War)
Alternative Name(s) Hm Factory Gretna Site 3
Canmore ID 375030
Site Number NY26SW 38.37
NGR NY 24905 64959
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/375030
- Council Dumfries And Galloway
- Parish Dornock
- Former Region Dumfries And Galloway
- Former District Annandale And Eskdale
- Former County Dumfries-shire
Field Visit (5 April 2022)
Canmore ID: 375030
NY26SW 38.37
NY 24905 64959
A concrete floor overgrown by moss, grass and nettles is situated in dense deciduous scrub woodland 10m ESE of Retort House South (NY26SW 38.12). It is rectangular on plan and measures about 18m from NNE to SSW by 7m transversely. The SW corner is marked by square concrete footings for steel stanchions and a little to the S there is a small brick-built structure with a sunken base (NY 24897 64949).
This floor is shown on the plan of, and in text referring to, the works (MMW 1919, plan, 83-9) given in the report by the Ministry of Munitions of War outlining the processes involved in the manufacture of the cordite propellant during the First World War at H.M. Factory, Gretna (Site 3). The floor formed the foundation of one of the three Preliminary Acid Mixing Houses (see NY26SW 38.36), which were used to make an approximately correct mixed acid before this was sent to the Final Mixing House (NY26SW 38.32) for blending. Documents (SUPP10-20, 3702, 3830), a blueprint (SUPP10-27, 3702) and a ground-based contemporary official photograph (MUN 5-297 pt3, 475; MUN 5-297 pt5, 717) taken after construction and held in the National Archives at Kew show that the building was a single storey, single bay, steel framed structure clad with corrugated iron sheets. It had a ridge roof with skylights and a vent running its full length.
This Preliminary Acid Mixing House fell into lot 507, which was offered for sale by auction on 22-5 July 1924 (HM Treasury 1924, 101). The lot was bought by Messrs James Jackson & Co Ltd, St Vincent Street, Glasgow (Carlisle City Archives, DX 2040/3). After its removal from the site, only the foundations were left and these are readily visible on an aerial photo-graph (M124/13 04117) flown on 19 August 1940.
Visited by HES Heritage Recording (MMD and ATW), 5 April 2022.
