Snelston Hall, once the seat of the Stanton family was built in 1828 by Cottingham, occupied until around 1945 and demolished in 1951. It was a mini version of the Earl of Shrewsbury's Alton Towers with a baronial type entrance hall. Thirty acres of pleasure gardens which included terraces and flower beds surrounded the building. From the gate lodges, the coach road passed through 300 acres of park land with a variety of trees. A unique feature was a plantation of 80 monkey puzzle trees, the first to grow successfully in Europe. They are still there. Information from www.derbyshireuk.net