Gretna, Hm Factory, Eastriggs Explosives Factory, Worker's Camp

Canmore ID 375180

Site Number NY26NW 46.36

NGR NY 24422 65475

Nothing is now visible in open ground of nine buildings, which were arranged in two closely spaced rows stretching about 190m NNE of the General Stores (NY26NW 91.3).

The buildings are shown on a contour map of the site annotated for the Royal Visit of 18 May 1917 (SUPP 5-297 pt4, 546) held by the National Archives at Kew. The W row comprised six buildings, while the E row comprised three buildings - the most northerly of which was more than twice the length of the others. All were rectangular on plan, with eight measuring roughly 29m from NNE to SSW by 4m transversely, while the ninth measured roughly 66m from NNE to SSW by 6m transversely overall. The latter also differed in having an outshot off-centred SSE in the ESE elevation. A ground-based contemporary official photograph (MUN 5-297 pt1, 245A) taken after construction (also held at Kew) shows that the eight identical buildings were single storied, ridge-roofed structures, with seven windows in their ESE elevations. By contrast, their larger neighbour differed in having five and nine windows respectively, interrupted by a porch in the ESE elevation.

It is possible that these buildings provided accommodation for the construction workers at H.M. Factory, Gretna (Site 3). None are shown on the plan of the works given within a Ministry of Munition Works report (MMW 1919, plan) held in the National Archives, Kew.

Visited by HES Heritage Recording (MMD and ATW), 9 May 2022.