Eastriggs
Eastriggs Location within Dumfries and Galloway
Population	1,770 (mid-2020 est.)[1]
OS grid reference	NY247662
Council area	Dumfries and Galloway
Lieutenancy area	Dumfries
Country	Scotland
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	ANNAN
Postcode district	DG12
Dialling code	01461
Police	Scotland
Fire	Scottish
Ambulance	Scottish
UK Parliament	Dumfries and Galloway
Scottish Parliament	Dumfriesshire
List of places UK Scotland 54°59′06″N 3°10′34″W / 54.985°N 3.176°W / 54.985; -3.176

Eastriggs is a small village located in Dumfries and Galloway in the south of Scotland, the village is located around 2 mi (3.2 km) north of the mud and sandbanks of the channel of the River Eden, which extends west into the Solway Firth.

Travelling by road Eastriggs is 3 miles (5 kilometres) to the east of Annan, 19 miles (31 kilometres) to the east of Dumfries, 5 miles (8 kilometres) to the west of Gretna, 17.7 miles (28 kilometres) to the west of Carlisle and 83.1 miles (134 kilometres) to the south of Edinburgh.

The B721 road, runs through Eastriggs and other neighbouring towns and villages connecting to the nearby A75.

History

Situated in the parish of Dornock, in the traditional county of Dumfriesshire, Eastriggs appears to have taken 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 were 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 factory.^[3]

Officially designated H.M. Factory Gretna, the factory was spread over a 9-mile (14 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] The Devil's Porridge Museum, opened in 2014 in the village, commemorates the factory and its workers.^[6][7]

Sir Raymond Unwin, Chief Housing Architect of the housing branch of the Explosives Department of Ministry of Munitions, and Courtenay Crickmer^[8] designed wooden housing for the workers in both Eastriggs and Gretna.^[9] As a mark of respect for the immigrant workforce, the streets were named after various cities within the Commonwealth.^[5]

Governance

Eastriggs is in the parliamentary constituency of Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale, David Mundell, the Conservative Party member of parliament has held the seat since 2005.^[10]

It is part of the South Scotland region in the Scottish Parliament, being in the constituency of Dumfriesshire. Oliver Mundell of the Conservatives is the MSP.

Prior to Brexit, for the European Parliament its residents voted to elect MEP's for the Scotland constituency.

Church of St John the Evangelist

Designed in the Gothic style by C M Crickmer under the direction of Sir Raymond Unwin,^[11] 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 HM Factory, Gretna.

Rail transport

The Glasgow South Western Line connecting Carlisle, Gretna Green and Annan passes through the currently closed Eastriggs railway station. The station was originally called Dornock, but renamed Eastriggs in 1923. The station closed in 1963. In 2019, Andrew Wood, then chair of the South West Scotland Transport Partnership, said that in response to a public consultation, that he believed that there would be great benefit to the local community in opening up Beattock, Thornhill and Eastriggs stations.^[12]

Sport

Eastriggs F.C. are the town's amateur football team. They play in the DSAFL.