56A And 56C Annan Road, Gretna

Raymond Unwin and C M Crickmer (site architect) designed this block of flats in 1917 as part of the purpose-built town of Gretna. The building is Grade B listed.

The structure is a symmetrical two-storey block in the Edwardian Renaissance style, arranged as a U-plan with a long principal elevation facing north and single-storey ranges adjoining each outer southern gable. It is constructed of red brick with some red ashlar dressings.

The prominent north elevation is the main façade, stretching across six bays. The outer bays feature shallow advanced ground floor Venetian windows with pediments and architraves. The central section contains the main door with small-paned sash windows, all set within shallow recessed vertical panels. An eaves course and mutule cornice run across the elevation, with axial chimney stacks rising above the slated roof. The pedimented narrow central and wide outer gables feature blocked cornices. The six-bay flanking elevations also have architraved doorways.

The building is positioned at a key junction in Gretna village and is notable for its well-detailed classical design, particularly the Venetian windows and pedimented door surrounds. The prominent wide chimney stacks and cornice decoration enhance its architectural interest. The westernmost low wing now serves as the Tourist Information Office.

The building originally functioned as the Police Barracks for Gretna village. Built between 1916 and 1918, it was part of the government's comprehensive development of Gretna township to house thousands of workers brought from across Britain and Ireland for the nearby munitions factory—a nine-mile facility stretching along the Solway banks that produced Cordite explosives during the First World War. The township was designed along Garden City principles with green spaces, a wide central street with shops and community facilities, and curving residential streets. Following the war's end, the factory was dismantled, with only scattered remnants surviving today.

Raymond Unwin (1863–1940), a leading figure in early twentieth-century British town planning, oversaw the design of Gretna and the neighbouring town of Eastriggs. He was known for advocating high standards of design in social housing and for informal planning approaches. His most celebrated projects include Letchworth Garden City and Hampstead Garden Suburb.

C M Crickmer (1879–1971) was a London-based architect who served as resident architect for Gretna's development. He had previously worked with Unwin at Letchworth and Hampstead Garden Suburb.