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Gretna, Hm Factory, Eastriggs Explosives Factory, Acids Section, Laboratory
Building (First World War), Laboratory (First World War)
Site Name Gretna, Hm Factory, Eastriggs Explosives Factory, Acids Section, Laboratory
Classification Building (First World War), Laboratory (First World War)
Alternative Name(s) Hm Factory Gretna Site 3
Canmore ID 375025
Site Number NY26SW 38.34
NGR NY 24928 64950
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/375025
- Council Dumfries And Galloway
- Parish Dornock
- Former Region Dumfries And Galloway
- Former District Annandale And Eskdale
- Former County Dumfries-shire
Field Visit (10 May 2022)
Canmore ID: 375025
NY26SW 38.34
NY 24928 64950
This concrete platform, which is overgrown with moss, grass and nettles, is situated in dense deciduous scrub woodland about 10m NNE of the Final Acid Mixers (NY26SW 38.32) and 17m ESE of the southerly Preliminary Acid Mixing House (NY26SW 38.37). It is rectangular on plan and measures about 8m from NNE to SSW by 6m transversely and rises to a height of 0.3m. It is surrounded by traces of a brick wall no more than 0.2m in height and 0.12m in thickness.
The platform is delineated, but not identified, on the plan of the works (MMW 1919, plan) given in the report by the Ministry of Munitions of War outlining the processes involved in the manufacture of cordite propellant during the First World War at H.M. Factory, Gretna (Site 3). An undated plan (SUPP 10-39) held in the National Archives at Kew identifies it as a Laboratory. Blueprints (SUPP 10-28, 3991) and ground-based, contemporary official photo-graphs (MUN5-297 pt3, 1380; MUN 5-297 pt5, 717) taken after construction also held at Kew shows that it was a single storey, brick-built, rubberoid ridge roofed building capped by a central vent. There was a central doorway between two windows in the SSW elevation and there were at least two windows in the ESE elevation.
These buildings 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 their 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.
