Stanton Moor is an area that is found in the Derbyshire Peak District, which has produced many archaeological remains, making it a jewel of the science world, and an excellent resource for peering into the worlds of past civilizations.
The small area is found between Bakewell and Matlock, and very near to the villages of Stanton in Peak and Birchover. Among the many distinctions of the Stanton Moor area are its many erratics and megaliths.
In particular, the Stanton Moor area is best known for its rich Bronze Age archaeological remains, with four stone circles from the time period, the most prominent of which is the Nine Ladies. Most of the circles are overgrown, with few stones, but the Nine Ladies is the most preserved circle, and still receives a fair amount of visitors.
Stanton Moor is also considered an aesthetic, as well as, a spiritual resource, and is often visited by many people on day trips. Due to the varying degree of needs and wants from those who visit the area, English Heritage is working on the creation of a conservation plan, that will meet the requirements from all those who want access to the area.
Also notable to the Stanton Moor area, is the wide range of landscape that it offers with views over river valleys, gritstone moors, and limestone fields. There are also a significant amount of cairns and individual stones, which have been individually named, due to their enormous size. Among those contained on Stanton moor are the Duchess of Sutherland Stone, the Duke of York Stone, the Heart Stone, the Andle Stone, the Cat Stone, and the Cork Stone.
Sandstone in the area was also mined for a period of time, but the quarries have not been open in recent years, despite several attempts, due to vetoes at the national and local levels.
Also worth noting, on the west edge of the Stanton Moor area, is the Earl Grey Tower, which was built by William Pole Thornhill in 1832, with the purpose of dedicating it to the Reform Act of 1832.
