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Gretna, Hm Factory, Eastriggs Explosives Factory, Acids Section, Mannheim Oleum Plant, Gas House
Gas Works (First World War)
Site Name Gretna, Hm Factory, Eastriggs Explosives Factory, Acids Section, Mannheim Oleum Plant, Gas House
Classification Gas Works (First World War)
Canmore ID 375330
Site Number NY26SW 38.57
NGR NY 24777 64991
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/375330
- Council Dumfries And Galloway
- Parish Dornock
- Former Region Dumfries And Galloway
- Former District Annandale And Eskdale
- Former County Dumfries-shire
Field Visit (26 January 2022)
Canmore ID 375330
Site Number NY26SW 38.57
NGR NY 24777 64989
This heavily moss- and tree-grown Gas House building is situated in dense deciduous scrub woodland about 20m NNW of the NE corner of the Mannheim Oleum Plant (NY26SW 38.2). It is rectangular on plan and measures 6m from NNE to SSW by 4.3m transversely and 0.2m in height. It is now reduced to little more than a concrete floor with a rebate around its edge and a slightly raised rectangular area to the WNW. It is closely surrounded by a narrow, rectangular cross-section concrete channel, now silted up. This is bridged by a concrete circular plinth at both the NNE and SSW ends of the structure.
The building is shown on a Ministry of Munition Works report (MMW 1919, plan) held in the National Archives, Kew, outlining the processes involved in the manufacture of the cordite propellant during the First World War at H.M. Factory, Gretna (Site 3, Eastriggs)).It is identified as a Gas House on an undated plan (SUPP 10-39) held by the National Archives at Kew and it was connected with the small laboratory (NY26SW 38.2) which serviced the Mannheim Oleum Plant. A description of a blueprint (SUPP 10-21 4075), a blueprint (SUPP 10-29 4075) and a ground-based contemporary official photograph (MUN 5-297 pt5 710E) taken after construction (also held at Kew) show that it was a single storey, single bay, brick-built structure that stood 3m high to the eaves, with a ridge roof and a central ventilator that ran the full length of the building. There was a door off-set in each gable end and a large window in one of the side elevations. The circular plinths outside the building supported gas holders and the surrounding channel carried pipework.
The building fell into lot 506, which was offered for sale by auction on 22-5 July 1924 (HM Treasury 1924, 100), when the lot was purchased by Messrs James Jackson & Co Ltd, St Vincent Street, Glasgow (Carlisle City Archives, DX 2040/3). After its removal from the site, only its foundations were left in place and these are readily visible on an aerial photograph (M124/13 04144) flown on 19 August 1940.
Visited by HES Heritage Recording (MMD and ATW), 26 January 2022
