Gretna, Hm Factory, Eastriggs Explosives Factory, Acids Section, Sulphur, Fines And Pyrites Storehouses

Canmore ID 374391

NY 26SW 38.3

NY 24650 65003 (centred)

Three adjacent grass-, moss- and thorn-grown concrete floors of former store buildings (NY 24635 65009, NY 24650 65004, NY 24666 64999) are situated immediately NE of the Grillo Oleum plant (NY26SW 38.1) and NW of the Mannheim Oleum plant (NY26SW 38.2). Each is rectangular on plan, with the WNW floor measuring 52m from NNE to SSW by 26.5m transversely, the central floor measuring 52m from NNE to SSW by 7m transversely and the ESE floor measuring 52m by 26.5m transversely. The N part of each concrete floor is overlaid by the later bund of Explosives Magazine R6 (NY26NW 46.12), while a modern road overlies the ESE corner of the central floor. The vegetation covering the NNE floor largely obscures the internal detail, but it is evident that the same arrangement existed here as in its SSE companion. The latter was split into three equal aisles of 8.5m in width, as is indicated by two rows of square voids sitting 3.5m apart that run the length of the building . These voids result from the robbing of the steel uprights which supported the roof structure of the building. Within the outside aisles there are the foundations of slim rectangular sandstone pillars about 6m apart which carried standard gauge railway lines (NY26NW 46.10) into the building. The central floor representing the Fines Store is free from these obstructions. The wall footings on the WNW and SSW are scarped into the rising ground. There is a trapezoidal concrete block at the SW corner intended as a ramp. The broad linear earthwork running to the NNE results from the levelling of the ground for the Sulphur Store and the Grillo Oleum plant to its WNW. A ruined brick-built flue is situated at the SSW end of this earthwork a little to the W of the ramp. A neat stack of slim rectangular concrete slabs immediately W of a similar pile of concrete Security Fence line posts (NY26NW 46.11) is situated a few metres to the E near the inside corner of the Sulphur Store. These may possibly derive from the raised piers that carried the railways into the buildings.

These buildings are identified as a Sulphur Store, a Fines Store and a Pyrites Store on a plan of, and in text referring to, the site (MMW 1919, plan, 37, 51) 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). The report indicates that the Sulphur Store housed the raw material for the Grillo Oleum plant, while the Fines Store and the Pyrites Store housed those for the Mannheim Oleum plant. The Sulphur and Pyrites stores measured 62m in length and 26m in breadth, while the Fines Store situated between them measured 7.6m in breadth. It also adds that the Sulphur store was 6.7m in height. Ground-based photography taken during and after construction (MUN 5-297 pt1, 165; MUN 5-297 pt1, 210, 242; MUN 5-297 pt2, 276, 277, 499; MUN 5-297 pt5, 710F) held by the National Archives at Kew and also some photographs reproduced in the aforementioned MMW report, illustrate the character of the buildings. These show that the Sulphur Store was a three bay, single storey, stone-walled building, with steel-framed, corrugated iron clad, ridged roofs. There were three broad entrances at the NNE end, each allowing a standard gauge railway line to enter the aisles. The rail lines approached the building on a shared embankment. Three doorways were also provided in the WNW elevation and two double doors at the corners of the SSW elevation – all at ground level. The railway lines entered the interior at an elevated level and were carried on tall stone pillars into the heart of the building. The Fines Store (between the Sulphur and Pyrites Stores) was later provided with a timber roof. The Pyrites Store was a single bay, single storey, stone-walled building with a steel-framed corrugated iron clad ridged roof incorporating skylights. There were three broad entrances at the NNE end, again allowing three standard gauge railway lines to enter. There was a broad doorway at each corner of the SSW elevation. The internal arrangements were the same as for the Sulphur Store.

These buildings were offered for sale by auction as part of lot 504 on 22-5 July 1924 (HM Treasury 1924, 95, items 1, 2; Carlisle City Archives, DX 170/38), when they were purchased by Messrs James Jackson & Co Ltd, St Vincent Street, Glasgow (Carlisle City Archives, DX 2040/3). A photograph in the auction catalogue shows the interior of the Sulphur Store looking NNE. After the buildings’ removal from the site, only their foundations were left in place and these are readily visible on an aerial photograph (M124/13 04127) flown on 19 August 1940. This photograph shows that there were two rows of sixteen internal steel uprights which supported the roof and eight pillars which supported the railway lines.

Visited by HES Heritage Recording (MMD and ATW), 4 April 2022.