The four villages of West Hallam, Stanley, Stanley Common and Mapperley are situated to the west of Ilkeston and each lies within the South Derbyshire coalfield. They were all farming and mining villages, with mining being the biggest source of employment since before the 16th century. Other occupations were brick making, foundry work and iron ore mining. But with the closure of the pits in the middle of the 20th century, the villages have all taken on new identities.

With the advent of modern transport and communications, the villages have become closer in their activities. The village churches have been instrumental in getting the communities to come together, especially following the formation of an Anglican benefice that includes all of the villages.

The old parishes were formed at a time when there was little difference, to the local people, between the Church and the State. A parish was usually formed around a village or other small community and centred on the Parish Church. In the late 1800s Church and Civil Parishes were created as separate entities, but the same area is now represented as a local authority by the local Parish Council and for the Church of England by the Parochial Church Council.

The villages of West Hallam and Mapperley each have their own Parish Council, while Stanley and Stanley Common have a joint Parish Council. While Anglican Churches have Parochial Church Councils (PCC's), the Methodist Churches are each governed by their own Church Councils.