Earl Grey Tower
Earl Grey Tower
I had read about Earl Grey Tower in many walking books of Derbyshire and I had wanted to visit the tower many times, but time has never given me this chance. Today I had this opportunity and all I could do was sit in awe of a sight of this once great tower.
Photographed by Roland ‘Roly’ Keates
The square gritstone Earl Grey Tower, or Reform Tower, stands on Stanton Moor in the Derbyshire Peak District. Earl Grey Tower was built by the Lt. Colonel Thornhills of Stanton Hall whose family were also responsible for numerous carvings and initials carved on boulders in the area.
Photographed by Roland Keates
Photographed by Roland ‘Roly’ Keates
Photographed by Roland ‘Roly’ Keates
The Earl Grey Tower was built to honour Charles, 2nd Earl Grey, who as Whig Prime Minister introduced the 1832 Reform Bill, which, gave every man the right to vote, thus earning the gratitude of a nation half-starved and on the verge of revolt.
Photographed by Roland ‘Roly’ Keates
Unfortunately, Earl Grey Tower on Stanton Moor has been closed for many years, and its stonework slowly falling into decay and the commemorative stone, carved with a coronet and ‘Earl Grey 1832’, lost from above the now blocked-up doorway.
Photographed by Roland ‘Roly’ Keates
The tower is simply decorated with narrow quarterfoil arrow slit windows. The plaque that was on it that depicted Earl Grey has been removed and now is in private hands.
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