Designating Eastriggs, a First World War cordite factory near Annan, Dumfries & Galloway

Closed 30 Nov 2022

Opened 22 Sep 2022

Contact

Designations team

01316688914

designations@hes.scot

Feedback updated 4 May 2023

We asked

From 22 September 2022 to 30 November 2022, Historic Environment Scotland (HES) sought views on our proposal to designate the former munition works at Eastriggs as a scheduled monument and listed building.

Our assessment of the site’s cultural significance concluded that it meets the criteria for designation and as such is a nationally important monument. The former munition works at Eastriggs makes a significant contribution to our understanding or appreciation of the military heritage of Scotland, in particular as a nationally significant munitions factory that produced the propellent cordite during the First World War. Further details can be accessed on our Heritage Portal.

You said

We received 100 responses to the consultation: one from the Local Authority, one from the owner’s agents, 94 from private individuals via our Citizen Space survey, and 4 from private individuals via our consultation mailbox.  

You can see what people said by downloading the summary report available on these pages.

The comments we received have contributed to our knowledge of the monument and also provided insight into how the factory is valued. The significant majority of the responses recognised the importance of the factory and its remains. The significant majority were in favour of designating the former munition works at Eastriggs as a scheduled monument. 

In summary, 98% of respondents to the Citizen Space survey suggested that the Eastriggs site and the surviving elements of the factory are an important part of our heritage, with 96% either agreeing/strongly agreeing that it should be given heritage recognition and protection and 96% agreement with our proposals to designate the site, including the balance of listing and scheduling in our proposal. A further breakdown of the results follows:

Respondent location and identity:

  • The significant majority (95%) replied as individuals
  • Half (50%) of the respondents are based in Scotland
  • Approximately one fifth of the respondents are based within 10km of the site

Cultural significance:

  • The significant majority (98%) think that the surviving elements of the factory are important elements of our heritage

Heritage protection and recognition:

  • The significant majority (96%) support heritage protection and recognition
  • A small minority (2%) strongly disagree with heritage recognition and protection
  • The significant majority (96%) agree with our proposal to designate the site
  • A small minority (2%) strongly disagree with our proposal to designate the site

The significant majority (96%) agree that the combination of Scheduling and Listing will recognise the site’s cultural significance. A minority (4%) do not think this.

We did

After considering the comments received during the consultation, we have made a change to the listed building proposal before taking the decision to designate elements of the former munition works at Eastriggs as a listed building and as a scheduled monument.

The Report on Handling on our Heritage Portal sets out our decision.

Results updated 4 May 2023

We received 100 responses to the consultation: one from the Local Authority, one from the owner’s agents, 94 from private individuals via our Citizen Space survey, and 4 from private individuals via our consultation mailbox.  

Our assessment of the site’s cultural significance concluded that it meets the criteria for designation and as such is a nationally important monument.

The Citizens Space Statistical Report can be downloaded below.

Files:

Overview

We are proposing to designate parts of the Eastriggs First World War cordite factory as a scheduled monument and as a listed building. These make a significant contribution to our understanding and appreciation of the war effort during the First World War, specifically as a nationally significant munitions factory that produced the propellant cordite in vast quantities.

We have launched this public consultation to gather views on our proposal to schedule and list parts of this important site.  Our two Reports of Handling (the scheduled monument proposal and the listed building proposal) explain why we think parts of the Eastriggs site meets the criteria for heritage designation.    

The Eastriggs site was part of a huge factory complex known as His Majesty’s Factory (HMF) Gretna built in 1916/17. In its day, Gretna was known as 'the largest factory in the Empire'. It was built to address a huge demand for munitions and it contributed to the United Kingdom and its allies’ success in the outcome of The Great War.

The First World War site at Eastriggs used to contain over 300 separate factory, laboratory, storage and administrative buildings. It survives today as a very large area comprising archaeological features (such as the footings of buildings and structural components of this giant chemistry set); the earthwork remains of protective earth bunds and in the surviving buildings. 

Map of H.M.F. Gretna factory complex, showing storage areas, production components and administrative, welfare and transportation areas. Various building are highlighted.An early site plan of the factory complex showing storage areas, production components and administrative, welfare and transportation areas (plan courtesy of The National Archives. Open Government Licence). 

An industrial building under construction, with only metal frame erected. Bricks are stacked in neat piles, and a small rail cart sits empty on a track.

One of over 300 buildings being erected at Eastriggs in 1916 (image courtesy of The National Archives. Open Government Licence).

Eastriggs had a very specific purpose – to produce 'Devil’s Porridge', the name given to a form of explosive known as cordite which is used as a propellent in small and large calibre munitions.    

A large mound in a grassy field with an entrance on the right side. It is a sunny day with long white clouds in the sky.One of 48 surviving earthwork bunds used to produce and store Nitroglycerine. A Nissen hut from World War Two can be seen within the earthwork (Copyright Historic Environment Scotland). 

You can find out more about the site and the tens of thousands of workers who came here from across the Commonwealth by visiting the local Devil’s Porridge museum at Eastriggs, Dumfries and Galloway (Home - Devils Porridge Museum).

Why your views matter

You can read the heritage designation proposals by following the links below. We encourage members of the public to send in their views and comments. You can do this by completing the short questionnaire below and/or email your comments about this case. You can also contact us via the Heritage Portal which contains copies of the proposals (the scheduled monument proposal and the listed building proposal).      

This questionnaire usually takes 5-10 minutes to complete.

Find out what comments we consider and what happens next in our consultation guide or watch our designations video on YouTube.

You can find out more about listed buildings and scheduled monuments in the Advice and Support section of the Historic Environment Scotland website, and read our heritage designation selection guidance.

What happens next

We will collate and consider your comments anonymously as part of our heritage designations assessment. If there is a subsequent proposal to designate parts of the site, we will publish our proposals on this website to let you to comment further.