Eastriggs
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Eastriggs is a Scottish village of approximately 2000 residents (year 2007). It has a small number of shops, a restaurant, post-office, public house, working-man's club and a church. Eastriggs Primary School acts as a communal centre, possessing a small library and providing consultation facilities for a weekly doctor's surgery.
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[edit] Geography and administration
Annan is about 3 miles (5 km) to the west and Gretna is about 5 miles (8 km) to the east of Eastriggs.[1] Annan, Eastriggs and Gretna are each about 1 - 2 mile (1.5 - 3 km) north of the mud and sand banks of the channel of the River Eden, which extends west into the Solway Firth.[1] Eastriggs is built on generally flat land 10 to 20 metres above sea level.[1]
Annan, Eastriggs and Gretna are located on the B721, which runs parallel and is linked to the nearby A75.[1] A railway line interlinking Gretna and Annan passes through the dis-used Eastriggs railway station, for which plans to provide a smaller replacement are currently (2007) being discussed.
[edit] History
Eastriggs appears to take its name from the farm, or farm house, known as Eastriggs that was located in the middle of what was to become the new township.[2] The only other buildings in the area, prior to World War I, being: a group of houses at Lowtherton (now North Road, Lowthertown); a parallel group on what is now the B721 road; an Inn and a smithy where East Road joins the B721.[2]
The Township of Eastriggs was created as a result of the shell and ammunition crisis of June 1915 which prompted the newly-founded Ministry of Munitions to create a new Cordite manufacturing facility.[3]
Officially designated H.M. Factory Gretna, the factory was spread over a 9 miles (15 km) site stretching from Dornock through Gretna to Longtown, Cumbria.[4] This required a huge influx of labour, and 30,000 men and women came from all over the British Commonwealth to serve as construction and factory workers.[5]
Sir Raymond Unwin, Chief Housing Architect of the housing branch of the Explosives Department of Ministry of Munitions, designed wooden housing for the workers in both Eastriggs and Gretna.[6] As a mark of respect for the immigrant work-force, the streets were named after various cities within the Commonwealth.[5]
[edit] Landmarks
[edit] Church of St. John the Evangelist
Built in the Gothic style, the Church of St. John the Evangelist was dedicated in 1917, and was presented with a signed altar book the following year by King George V and Queen Mary who were paying an Official Visit to H.M.Factory Gretna.
[edit] Gallery
 Eastriggs The Commonwealth Village from the east |
 Eastriggs from the west |
[edit] Notes
[edit] References
- reprinted one-inch Victorian Ordnance Survey Maps of Scotland (Sheet 6), Annan & Whithorn. 1st edition revised to 1896. Kyle of Lochalsh: Caledonian Maps. ISBN 1-85349-006-7.
- Ordnance Survey Landranger Map (number 85) - 1:50,000 scale (1.25 inches to 1 mile). ISBN 0-319-22685-9.
- Ordnance Survey Explorer Map (number 323) - 1:25,000 scale (2.5 inches to 1 mile)
- Ministry of Munitions of War, (1918). H.M. Factory, Gretna: Description of Plant and Process. Dumfries: J Maxwell & Son for His Majesty's Stationery Office.
- Stratton, Michael and Trinder, Barrie (2000). Twentieth Century Industrial Archaelogy. London: E & FN Spon. ISBN 0-419-24680-0.
- Video/DVD, (1994). The Longtown Military Railway. Carnforth: Tele Rail.
- Scotland's census 29 April 2001 - accessed 27 Feb 2007
