Gretna, Hm Factory, Eastriggs Explosives Factory, Acids Section, Nitric Acid Still House

Canmore ID: 375022

NY26SW 38.31

NY 24952 65026

This heavily damaged building is situated in dense deciduous scrub woodland about 35m ESE of Retort House North (NY26SW 38.11). It is distinguished on its WNW and ESE sides by what appears to have been two rows of square concrete footings for steel stanchions, while a single row defines the limit of the building on the SSW. However, its NNE end is now marked only by a brick wall rising to a height of 0.5m. The interior has been heavily dumped over and is slighted by a standard gauge railway line (NY26NW 46.24) that runs SE to the Transit Area (NY26NW 46.21). The introduction of this railway line led to the excavation of a crude drain (NY26NW 46.33) running W across the building to reach a watercourse on the far side of Retort House North (NY26SW 38.11). In addition, a narrow-gauge railway line (NY26NW 46.27) running from Explosives Magazine R10 (NY26NW 46.12) to Explosives Magazine R11 (NY26NW 46.12) overlies the N section of the building.

The building is identified as a Still House on the plan of, and in text referring to, the works the works (MMW 1919, plan, 73-8) 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). It was rectangular on plan and measured about 120m from NNE to SSW by 20m transversely overall. There was an outshot to the WNW from the centre of the building, while on the opposite side there was a flue running to a chimney stack. A standard gauge railway (NY26NW 46.10) entered the building at its N end. It was in this building that spent acid was distilled, and the Nitric Acid was recovered and sent to the condensers, while the remaining sulphuric acid was removed for concentration elsewhere. Blueprint descriptions (SUPP 10-16, 3034; SUPP 10-19, 3624, 3631; SUPP 10-20, 3659; SUPP 10-22, 4280; SUPP 10-22, 4268), blueprints (SUPP 10-24, 3140, 3141; SUPP 10-25, 3343; SUPP 10-26, illegible; SUPP 10-27 3659, 3802) and ground-based, contemporary official photographs (MUN 5-239 196, 225; MUN 5-297 pt1, 251A; MUN 55-297 pt2, 284; MUN 55-297 pt3, 475; MUN 5-297 pt5, 710E, 717) taken during and after construction held in the National Archives at Kew show that the building was a single storey, single bay, steel framed, corrugated iron sheet clad structure with a ridged roof capped by a central vent running its full length. There were skylights on both sides of the roof and it was open to the elements at the bottom. There were also slit vents below the eaves in the ESE elevation and at least one large window in its SSW gable end.

This building fell into lot 507, which was offered for sale by auction on 22-5 July 1924 (HM Treasury 1924, 101, item 2). The catalogue adds that the building measured 7.5m in height. 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 photograph (M124/13 04117) flown on 19 August 1940.

Visited by HES Heritage Recording (MMD and ATW), 10 May 2022.