Ministry Of Defence Building L165 At Tl 3777 0108

The Ministry of Defence Building L165, located at the Royal Gunpowder Factory, is a mineral jelly store built between 1914 and 1917. It is constructed of brick and features a slate roof with a rectangular plan and a single storey. The west elevation has two double doors, while the east elevation contains two cast-iron framed windows. Inside, there are tie-beam trusses and four iron lockers with iron doors, which were originally served from the northern room and are built into the northern wall. This building is associated with the incorporation of cordite, which was developed by the Government's Explosives Committee. A patent for cordite was taken out in 1889, with initial experimental manufacture occurring at Waltham Abbey. The effective use of cordite relied on acetone as a solvent and mineral jelly as a stabiliser.