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Polmont, West Quarter And Redding Muir, Detonator Factories
Chemical Works (Modern), Explosives Factory (19th Century) - (20th Century)
Site Name Polmont, West Quarter And Redding Muir, Detonator Factories
Classification Chemical Works (Modern), Explosives Factory (19th Century) - (20th Century)
Alternative Name(s) Reddingmuir Head, Redding Moor; Westquarter Chemical Works; Wester Newlands
Canmore ID 105866
Site Number NS97NW 63
NGR NS 9091 7797
NGR Description Centred NS 9091 7797
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/105866
- Council Falkirk
- Parish Grangemouth
- Former Region Central
- Former District Falkirk
- Former County Stirlingshire
NS97NW 63 centred 9091 7797
The works are visible on WW II oblique RAF air photogrpahs (No.1 CAM, D803, flown 25 May 1940).
Information from RCAHMS (DE), August 2004
Note (27 August 2021)
Alfred Nobel started his Ardeer, North Ayrshire explosives factory in 1871. In 1878 he started up the Westquarter plant at Reddingnuir near Polmont to supply Ardeer with fulminate of mercury. Fulminate was used as a base charge in early detonators.
A Swedish expert in fumlminate of mercury production, Carl Olof Lundholm, joined Nobel's company. He later became the Manager at Ardeer, retiring in 1920. His son, Gosta Lundholm was Superintendant at Nobel's Modderfontein explosives factory in South Africa.
HES: Manuscript MS2749/2 (correspondence from P.Shaw, 17/08/2006)
Information from Survey and recording (M McDonald), Heritage Directorate, HES, 27 August 2021.
See also Falkirk Local History Website article on Nobel's Westquarter Works by Geoff Bailey, 2022 - https://falkirklocalhistory.club/around-the-area/industry/nobel-westquarter-works/
Information from Survey and recording (M McDonald), Heritage Directorate, HES, 5 August 2024.
