Chapelcross (Dumfries and Galloway)

Lat:55.025 Lon: -3.226

Annan is a town on the River Annan in Dumfries and Galloway.

The town developed as a market town around the site of a castle, built by the Bruce family, and a medieval hospital. From the late 18th Century, when a cotton mill was founded in the town, Annan developed as a port and a centre for industries including shipbuilding, sandstone quarrying and whiskey distilling.

Built on the site of RAF Annan, a World War II air-training base, Chapelcross was Scotland's first nuclear power station. The location allowed access to water from the nearby River Annan, which was used for cooling purposes.

Chapelcross was one of the early Magnox-type stations, named after the magnesium alloy used to contain the fuel rods. Construction of the four Magnox reactors began in 1955, and electricity generation began in 1959. The site supplied 200 Mega Watts of electricity to the National Grid. It also produced plutonium for military use.

Electricity generation ceased in June 2004. The power staion is currently undergoing a lengthy decommissioning process. 2007 saw the demolition of the four distinctive cooling towers.

Features of the area

• Town
• River
• Harbour
• Power
• Industry

Dumfries and Galloway Group

Dumfries and Galloway is one of Scotland’s 32 unitary council areas. It was created in 1975 by uniting the historic region of Galloway to the County of Dumfries for the purpose of council administration.

To the north, the council borders South Ayrshire, East Ayrshire and South Lanarkshire; in the east Scottish Borders; and to the south the county of Cumbria in England.

Elsewhere on the BBC

• BBC South Scotland

Elsewhere on the web

• RCAHMS: Chapelcross Power Station
• Wikipedia entry on Annan
• Undiscovered Scotland entry on Annan
• Dumfries and Galloway local studies and archive