Gretna, Hm Factory, Eastriggs Explosives Factory, Acids Section, Pyrites Crusher

Canmore ID 374386

NY26SW 38.4

NY 24628 64971

The foundations of this building are situated under gorse and dense deciduous woodland about 10m SSW of the Sulphur Store (NY26SW 38.3) and 45m to the WNW of the Mannheim Oleum plant (NY26SW 38.2). They comprise two parallel rectangular concrete rafts measuring 9.5m from WNW to ESE by 0.55m transversely and 0.33m in height and their superstructure divides into two unequal sections 1.3m apart. One section to the ESE supports two tapered, square pillars rising to a height of about 1m, while the other section to the WNW supports four similar pillars.

This building is shown, but not identified on a plan of , and in text referring to, the site (MMW 1919, plan, 51, 55) given with a Ministry of Munitions of War report outlining the processes involved in the manufacture of cordite propellant during the First World War at H.M. Factory, Gretna (Site 3). However, the text describes it as a Crusher Plant, while an undated plan (SUPP 10-39) in the National Archives at Kew, shows that it falls within an area assigned to ‘Screening & Crushing’. A blueprint (SUPP 10-28, 3858) and ground-based photography taken after construction (MUN 5-297 pt3, 499, 500) also held at Kew, illustrates the character of the Crusher plant building. These sources show that the concrete pillars supported the strong wooden base frame of an elevated, ridge roofed cabin clad in corrugated iron sheets. cantilevered out to the SSW. The ESE elevation was broken by an aperture from which emerged a corrugated iron roofed conveyor and a walkway supported on wooden trestles. Metal buckets were suspended from the conveyor, which transported the crushed pyrites to the Screening House (NY26SW 38.5).

This Crusher Plant fell into lot 504, which was offered for sale by on 22-5 July 1924 (HM Treasury 1924, 95; Carlisle City Archives, DX 170/38), when the ground was purchased by Messrs James Jackson & Co Ltd, St Vincent Street, Glasgow (Carlisle City Archives, DX 2040/3). Its foundations are visible on an aerial photograph (M124/13 04127) flown on 19 August 1940.

Visited by HES Heritage Recording (MMD and ATW), 5 April 2022.