Stanage Mill Stones

Stanage Edge, or simply Stanage (from "stone edge") is a gritstone escarpment in the Peak District, England, famous as a location for climbing.

Millstone production, along with lead mining was one of the main medieval industries of the Peak District and the two main centres of production were above Hathersage and Baslow.  Production is believed to have started as early as the 14th century, reaching its peak in the late 16th and 17th centuries.  It was a huge industry.

Traditionally the stones were quarried by individual stone masons, each making about 16 pairs per year up on the hillside near to where the stone was quarried.  They would then be transported down the hill and taken away by road or river.  Peak District Millstones found their way all over the UK.

It is thought that the market for local Peak District millstones disappeared very suddenly mid-18th century when white bread became fashionable. The gritstone of which they were made turned flour a grey colour, whereas it was found that French millstones were capable of producing white flour.

Dozens of millstones in production in the Peak District couldn’t be sold and still lie today exactly where they were produced – up on the hills below the gritstone edges.