Monument record 7112/1 - WWI National Filling Factory No 9, Banbury

Great War explosives Filling Factory; 75% of the plan form of the factory survives as earthworks. National Filling Factories were conceived by the Ministry of Munitions is 1915. There was not standardised design for the factories and most were influenced by topography and the architect’s own ideas. Unit 1 of the factory was commissioned in 1915 and the first lyddite was run in April 1916. The construction of Unit 2 built within a year or so of unit 1 doubled capacity. After 1917 the army switched to using TNT and the factory converted to filling mines and shrapnel shells; early in 1918 it was given over to the filling of chemical shells. Around 1919-1924 the site was used for breaking down surplus ammunition. After the site closed in 1924 it probably underwent 'thermal remediation' where sections were deliberately burnt. Unit No 1 survives as a series of earthwork, standing and buried remains. The western side has been truncated by the M40. Around the edge of the filing units are the earthwork remains of a standard gauge railway line that served the factory. Between the picric acid stores and the lines of the tramways are well-preserved remains of Medieval ridge and furrow. The site was scheduled in 2012.

{1} Site of Ministry of Munitions Shell Filling Factory 1916-24 and of Munitions Breaking Down Factory 1920-24. Site located E of Banbury just inside the Northants county boundary. It extends over 1km NxS from the line of the old LMS railway line (cSP477398) to the Bowling Green on the Overthorpe Road (cSP476409). 2000 people employed at the factory. All types of shell and mortar bomb handled included HE, mustard gas and AA. Serious explosion in 1917.'The factory was purchased by Messrs Cohen of London c1919 and used as a Breaking-Down Factory, when thousands of war materials were broken down. The factory closed in 1924 and has stood derelict ever since.''The land in and around the factory site is now used as grazing land'

NGR for main entrance given as SP476401 though plan shows a works entrance at the Bowling Green on the Overthorpe Rd at the N end of the complex. Offices, police office, fitter shops and boiler house identified as present around main entrance. Filling Houses were of wood on concrete foundations; earthworks provided blast protection.

{2} At approx centre SP47704010 and immediately S of the remains at SP 4760/4060 above is a smaller area of less distinct earthworks overlaying ridge and furrow which appears to represent remains of buildings built without blast walls. Some concrete rubble and traces of brick foundations visible. NOTE: These remains are probably those formerly recorded as SMR Mon 29/0/0, a series of unclassified earthworks recorded from AP's.

{3} A major complex of building remains is concentrated just E of the M40 between c SP47604060 to cSP47704015. The remains comprise a rectilinear pattern of substantial, scrub covered earth banks (presumably for blast protection) within which are earthwork platforms and occasional brick and structural remains/rubble. The latter include brick and concrete roofed (tramway?) access points set through the banks of enclosures. The enclosures to the NE measure approximately 30 x 12m internally, being open to one side (the E) and with triangular section brick and concrete walls set across the butt ends. Further south and also set within enclosing banks are the traces of the brick, concrete and stone foundations of long narrow structures approximately 4m wide by 41m long. At least two of these are placed in line separated by a short bank set between triangular section brick and concrete walls. An adjoining enclosure contains two parallel low earthwork platforms both of which contain the traces of regularly spaced single brick thick walls. Note that the northern end of the site has been subject to refuse dumping with some resultant partial infilling.

At approx centre SP47704010 and immediately S of the remains at SP 4760/4060 above is a smaller area of less distinct earthworks overlaying ridge and furrow which appears to represent remains of buildings built without blast walls. Some concrete rubble and traces of brick foundations visible. NOTE: These remains are probably those formerly recorded as SMR Mon 29/0/0, a series of unclassified earthworks recorded from AP's.

The site was used as a military training area in WW2 used by both Regular Army and the Home Guard. During 1940 a lone German bomber dropped 5 bombs on the site. 'The land in and around the factory site is now used as grazing land'.

{4} This site could be related to the earthworks 1km to the south east, SMR ref. 29.

{5} Reasons for Designation
Unit No.1 of the National Filling Factory, Banbury, is of national importance and scheduling is recommended for the following principal reasons:

* National Importance: the diverse range of documentary sources provides a detailed profile of the physical remains of NFF Banbury and of the significant contribution it made to the British armed forces at a time of international conflict. Its contribution to the war effort and to the outcome of WWI make it a site of national and international significance.
* Rarity: All filling factories were reduced to footings when decommissioned and almost all sites were redeveloped. NFF Banbury is one of only two lyddite filling factories dating to WWI which retain evidence of the complete process flow of the industry.
* Archaeological Interest: 75% of the plan form of Unit No.1 survives as earthworks and has the archaeological potential to add significantly to our understanding of the construction, use and subsequent abandonment of the site.
* Diversity and Group Value: the diversity of the features and the inter-relationship of the different elements of the factory increase the group value of the site and enhances the national importance of the monument as a whole.

History
At the outbreak of the First World War in 1914, the filling facilities for high explosives were limited to the Royal Arsenal Woolwich and factories at Lemington Point and Derwenthaugh (Newcastle Upon Tyne), belonging to the armament manufacturers Armstrong and Whitworth and Co. Ltd. By 1915, the British Army found itself on the Western Front with insufficient ammunition; the demand for filled shells exceeded production. The National Filling Factories (NFF) were conceived by the new Ministry of Munitions, formed under Lloyd George in June 1915. Their layout utilised elements of modern factory production with a logical flow of materials and a production line. Principles of scientific management were applied to the workforce including 'dilution', where skilled work was broken down into individual repetitive tasks which could be performed by unskilled or semi-skilled labour. In the NFFs this meant the innovative use of female labour which reached 90% of the total labour force in some factories.

Though part of a national network financed by the government, there was no rigid design template imposed on each site. Certain principles were laid down following good practice at Royal Arsenal Woolwich, but many aspects of the Home Office guidelines were relaxed. Plan form was influenced by topography and the architect's own ideas. Four explosives filling factories, including that at Banbury, were designed, built and managed by their managing directors but the construction of the factories generally depended on local firms, though the Office of Works erected those at Banbury and Perivale (London).

NFF Banbury, Northamptonshire, was one of the earliest purpose built by the Ministry of Munitions and was known as NFF No.9. It was commissioned in November 1915 and responsibility for its construction and management was given to Mr Herbert Bing, and the building contract was let in January 1916, to Messrs Willet of Sloane Square. The first lyddite was run on 25 April 1916. Initially the factory comprised only the northerly No. 1 Unit, designed to fill 100 tons of lyditte per week. In 1916 over 1400 local people were employed, a third of them women. The basic operation of the filling factory is evident in the plan. Empty components were bought into one side of the unit and the explosives into the other side, and the filled shells were moved to a storage magazine before they were either moved off-site or moved for temporary storage in an Army Ordnance Department store. Shells were moved between production areas by an internal tramway. Inside the factory were box stores and the empty-shell store, where on arrival the empty shells were cleaned and painted before they were issued to the filling houses. At the centre is a series of 22 melt houses which served eight filling sheds. Picric acid for melting was held on the eastern side of the group in long sheds and when ready for use, it was bought into the stores at the southern end of the group and then sifted before melting. After filling, the shells were moved by tramway to the two filled-shell magazines to the east.

The factory's capacity was doubled with the construction of No.2 Unit to the south giving a total area of 132 acres. This was built within a year or so of the No.1 Unit. Experience in operating the first unit brought modifications to improve the flow of materials through the second, including a clearer flow of materials from the empty shells stores on the south western side, through the paint shops to the filling houses, and on the opposite side from the long picric acid stores through the sifting houses to the melting houses.

On May 30th, 1917 a notice was issued to the effect that all shells used by the British batteries in the battle on the Italian front came from No.9 Filling Factory. The quality of the ammunition that was produced was highly praised and factory employees were encouraged and exhorted to continue their good work (Lester, 1983).

When demand for lyddite declined by September 1917 as the army switched to TNT, sections of the factory were converted to filling naval mines and shrapnel shells and, early in 1918, part of the factory was given over to the filling of chemical shells with mustard gas although it is unclear which sections were affected. Around 1919 the factory was purchased by Cohen of London who used it for breaking down surplus war ammunition. This activity continued until 1924 when the factory closed. It is believed that the factory underwent 'thermal remediation' (sections of the site were deliberately burnt) which was the standard way of ensuring that no explosive residuals were left in former explosives handling buildings. It is possibly that it was this action which reduced the buildings and contributed to the formation of earthworks.

During the Second World War the site of the abandoned factory is believed to have been used as a military training area although no field evidence of purposely dug trenches or other training features was identified on site.

{7} Extensive significant problems: scrub/tree growth

{9} Trial trench evaluation of a field on the western edge of the land occupied by the munitions factory. Parts of foundations, both brick and concrete, were identified.

{12} Archaeological observation was undertaken during the laying of an electricity cable adjacent to the M40 through the site of the former filling factory. Much of the ground was disturbed/truncated by the ground-works which had taken place during the construction of the M40, although the remains of three structures were identified, which when overlain on the 1922 Ordnance Survey map correspond with various buildings, including one of the melt houses, one of the paint shops and a box store.

{14} Evaluation trenching in advance of a new industrial development revealed the foundations of a First World War munitions factory. A follow up recording action showed that these mainly matched the available mapping quite closely but revealed nothing further of interest.

{16} RCHME aware of this site through their current 'dangerous energy survey'. Book by Cocroft on munitions/gunpowder works c1350-1950 due out late 1997/early 1998. According to Cocroft the site is one of c30 in the country and as well preserved as any. Good documentary records appear to exist including plan in PRO Kew with functions identified; plan on 1922 OS map; various material held by Banbury library. Main ranges E of A40 known as Unit 1. Site recorded in RCHME Monarch database; also some RCHME AP recording carried out recently.

{17} Unclassified earthworks visible from aerial photogaphy.

{18} SP 47 40. In November 1915 Mr Herbert Bing was asked to draw up plans for an explosives Filling Factory to fill shells with the high explosive Lyddite. The factory was later known as National Filling Factory No.9 Banbury. A site was chosen to the southeast of Banbury at the intersection of the main Oxford to Birmingham railway line and the now disused Banbury to Brackley branch line.

Plans were drawn up by His Majesty's Office of Works and construction commenced in January 1916 by Messrs Willet of Sloan Square London. Initially the factory comprised a single filling unit known as No.1 Unit which had a projected filling capacity of 100 tons per week. This was later supplemented by No.2 Unit to its southwest.

In addition to the production buildings the factory also comprised many ancillary structures these included; a boiler house, laundry, wash houses, mess rooms, time and pay offices, latrines, first aid rooms, an engine shed and offices. At its height the factory employed around 2000 people.

As lyddite was gradually superseded by TNT as the main British shell filling Banbury was converted to other filling tasks. These included the filling of naval mines with ammonium perchlorate and filling of shrapnel shells. In 1918 part of the factory was given over to the filling of chemical shells with mustard gas.

Around 1919 the factory was purchased by Cohen of London who used it for breaking down war surplus ammunition. This activity continued until 1924 when the factory closed.

During the second world war the site of the abandoned factory was used as a military training area.

The site of the factory is today used as rough grazing for cattle. It has been cut in two by the M40 motorway, which has also obliterated most of No.2 Unit in the southwest corner of the site. However, No.1 Unit which lies to the east of the motorway survives almost intact as earthworks and concrete floor slabs. No.1 Unit was arranged as a large rectangle which was subdivided into many small compartments which housed the filling sheds. In operation cleaned shells were brought to the northern end of the group and explosives into the eastern side, the two were then brought together in the filling sheds at the centre of the group and the filled shells then moved southwards to the storage magazines.

The buildings in this group were all surrounded by earthwork traverses the ends of which were revetted by brick walls with an internal concrete core. The northern end of the factory has been partly dumped over, by what appears to be a 1920s or 1930s rubbish dump. Linking the buildings are the earthwork remains of the factory's internal narrow gauge tramway, where the line passed through traverses they are lined with concrete portals. Around the edge of the filling units are the earthwork remains of standard gauge sidings. In the field to the southeast of the factory are the earthwork remains of the storage magazines which were controlled by the Army Ordnance Department.

A detailed history of the factory is preserved in the Public Record Office, this contains annotated plans and sections of the buildings. An unannotated plan of the factory may also be found on the 1922 Ordnance Survey map of the area.

<1> Hartland, G.C., 1987, Cake and Cockhorse, p.139-141 (unchecked) (Series). SNN55809.

<2> SIMPSON; BILL, 1978, The Banbury to Verney junction branch, 51-56 (unchecked) (Book). SNN55810.

<3> CADMAN G.E., 1997, Oral report to SMR, (unchecked) (Oral Report). SNN51456.

<3> Cadman, G., 1997, Sketched Earthwork Plan, (unchecked) (Plan). SNN108911.

<4> Cadman G., 2014, 20th Century Military Archaeology in Northamptonshire: Logs 1, 2 & 3, p.24 (checked) (Report). SNN104868.

<5> ENGLISH HERITAGE, 2012, English Heritage Advice Report: Former WWI National Filling Factory and Medieval Ridge and Furrow, Warkworth, Banbury, (unchecked) (Report). SNN108640.

<6> Bloom, D., 2014, The War Children Who Were Born Yellow, (unchecked) (Newspaper cuttings). SNN109487.

<7> Historic England, 2016, Heritage at Risk: East Midlands Register 2016, p. 57 (Report). SNN110747.

<8> Historic England, 2017, Heritage at Risk: East Midlands Register 2017, p. 64 (Report). SNN111090.

<8> Historic England, 2018, Heritage at Risk: East Midlands Register 2018, p. 64 (Report). SNN111434.

<9> Taylor, A., 2015, Central M40, Land at Overthorpe Road, Banbury, Phase 2, Northamptonshire section: An archaeological evaluation (Report). SNN111121.

<10> McNicoll-Norbury, J, 2014, M40, Land at Overthorpe Road, Banbury, Northamptonshire: Archaeological evaluation, 2014 (Report). SNN111123.

<11> Bray, D, 2014, Central M40, Land at Overthorpe Road, Banbury, Northamptonshire : Archaeological recording action (Report). SNN111119.

<12> Leech, S, Archaeological observation, investigation, recording and publication of works at the former World War I National Filling Factory, Banbury, August 2015 (Report). SNN111306.

<13> Davey G., 2017, Central M40, Land at Overthorpe Road, Banbury, Phase 2, Northamptonshire Section: Archaeological recording action of former munition works (Report). SNN111118.

<14> Crank, N. (Editor), 2018, South Midlands Archaeology (48), p. 75 (Journal). SNN111393.

<15> Cocroft, W., 1997, Oral report to SMR, (unchecked) (Oral Report). SNN50508.

<16> 1923, Third Edition OS Mapping, (unchecked) (Map). SNN100778.

<17> Northamptonshire SMR Collection of Aerial Photographs, NCCAP:SP4740/004 (unchecked) (Aerial Photograph(s)). SNN104822.

<18c> Ordnance Survey Map (Scale/date), Ordnance Survey 1922, 25 inch map Northamptonshire LVIII.9 (Map). SNN112944.

<18b> Ordnance Survey Map (Scale/date), Ordnance Survey 1922, 25 inch map Oxfordshire VI.9 (Map). SNN112944.

<18> Cocroft W.D., 2000, Dangerous Energy - The archaeology of gunpowder and military explosives manufacture, p. 170-176 (Book). SNN101526.

<18a> Unknown, Undated, History of No.9 NFF Banbury, MUN5/155/1122.3/51 (Archive). SNN115523.

Record last edited

Feb 10 2025 8:19PM