Acton Cheshire Family History Guide

Alternative names: Acton near Nantwich

Status: Ancient Parish

Parish church: St. Mary

Parish registers begin:

Parish registers: 1653
Bishop's Transcripts: 1586

Nonconformists include: Primitive Methodist, Roman Catholic, Wesleyan Methodist, Wesleyan Methodist Association

Other places included in the parish: Aston, Aston juxta Mondrum, Austerson, Baddington, Brindley, Burland, Cholmondeston, Cholmondestone ,Coole Pilate, Cool Pilate, Edlaston, Edleston, Faddiley, Henhull, Hurleston, Newhall, Poole, Sound, Stoke, Worleston

Parishes adjacent to Acton

• Burleydam
• Wrenbury
• Wettenhall
• Bunbury
• Nantwich
• Leighton with Minshull
• Malpas
• Wybunbury
• Audlem
• Baddiley
• Church Minshull

Historical Descriptions

Acton

The Imperial Gazetteer of England & Wales 1870

ACTON, a township and a parish in Nantwich district, Cheshire. The township lies on the Birmingham and Liverpool canal, near the Shropshire Union railway, 1½ mile WNW of Nantwich; and has a post office under Nantwich. Acres, 722. Pop., 297. Houses, 57. The parish comprises the townships of Acton, Cool-Pilate, Austerson, Baddington, Edleston, Burland, Faddiley, Brindley, Henhull, Hurleston, Poole, Stoke, Cholmon destone, Aston-juxta-Mondrum, and Worleston. Acres, 15,542. Real property, £2,978. Pop. 3,125. Houses, 625. The manor belonged to the Saxon earl Morcar, and passed, through the Lovels, Ardens, and Wilbrahams, to the Tollemaches. The parish church and Dorfold Hall were garrisoned, during the civil war, by successively the regal and the parliamentary forces. The church is early English, and contains some ancient monuments. Dorfold Hall was built in 1616, consists of dark brick, has large bay windows and massive chimneys, and contains some well-preserved, rich, plaster ornaments. The living is a vicarage in the diocese of Chester. Value, £627. Patron, J. Tollemache, Esq. The p. curacy of Burley Dam is a separate benefice. Charities, £100.

Source: The Imperial Gazetteer of England & Wales [Wilson, John M]. A. Fullarton & Co. N. d. c. [1870-72].

The Parliamentary Gazetteer of England and Wales 1840

Acton, a parish in the hund. and union of Nantwich, county-palatine of Chester; comprising the townships of Acton, Aston-juxta-Mondrum, Austerson, Baddington, Brindley, Burland, Cholmondstone, Cool-Pilate, Eddleston, Faddiley, Hinhull, Hurleston, Newhall, Poole, Stoke, and Worleston. Living, a vicarage in the archd. and dio. of Chester; rated at £19 9s. 7d; gross income £408. The church has some curious windows. Patron, in 1835, Admiral Tollemache. There is a free school here, endowed with £20 per annum; and two National schools. About £17, bequeathed by various testators, is yearly distributed among the poor of the parish; about £12 a-year is appropriated, by the bequest of two members of the Wilbraham family, to apprenticing poor boys of the parish, and from Huxley's charity, £40 is distributed yearly in sums of £5 each to four poor women, and the remainder appropriated to the apprenticing of poor girls. During the civil war, Acton church and Dorfold hall were successively garrisoned by the king's and the parliamentary forces. Dorfold hall, in this parish, built in 1616, is a fine remain of the architecture of the early part of the 17th century. It is built of dark brick, with massy chimneys and large bay windows. The great hall contains some rich plaster ornaments in a fine state of preservation, and is still allowed to remain in its original condition. The Nantwich branch of the Chester canal passes through this parish, and the line of the proposed railway to St. George's harbour, Denbighshire. Pop. of the parish, in 1821, 3,777; in 1831, 3,928. Houses 710. Acres 7,200. A. P. £25,288. Pop. of the town ship of Acton, in 1831, 309. Houses 62. Acres 1,230. A. P. £1,285. Poor rates, in 1837, £220.

Source: The Parliamentary Gazetteer of England and Wales; A Fullarton & Co. Glasgow; 1840.

A Topographical Dictionary of the United Kingdom Capper 1808

Acton, a parish in the hundred of Nantwich, Chester, 1 mile and half from Nantwich, and 165 from London; contains 52 houses and 262 inhabitants. It is a vicarage, value 19 l. 9s. 7d.

Source: A Topographical Dictionary of the United Kingdom. Benjamin Pitts Capper. 1808.

Complete Pocket Gazetteer of England and Wales 1807

Acton, (Chesh.) a, village, formerly the seat of the gallant Moscar, brother of the last earl of Mercia. Here is a neat new church containing some good monuments of the Mainwaring and Wilbraham families; and some of the houses are large and convenient, though the greater part are very old and irregular. Distant from London 174 miles 1 furlong. Beyond Acton on the right is a turnpike road to Middlewich.

Source: Complete Pocket Gazetteer of England and Wales; Crosby Rev. J. Malham; 1807

Baddington

Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales Circa 1870

Baddington, a township in Acton parish, Cheshire; on the Grand Junction canal, 2 miles SSW of Nantwich. Acres, 1,401. Real property, £1,715. Pop., 135. Houses, 20

Source: The Imperial Gazetteer of England & Wales [Wilson, John M]. A. Fullarton & Co. N. d. c. [1870-72].

Leonard's Gazetteer of England and Wales 1850

Baddington, 2 m. Nantwich. P. 137

Source: Leonard's Gazetteer of England and Wales; Second Edition; C. W. Leonard, London; 1850

Brindley

Leonard's Gazetteer of England and Wales 1850

Brindley, in Acton parish. P. 184

Source: Leonard's Gazetteer of England and Wales; Second Edition; C. W. Leonard, London; 1850.

Burland

Leonard's Gazetteer of England and Wales 1850

Burland, in Acton parish. P. 639

Source: Leonard's Gazetteer of England and Wales; Second Edition; C. W. Leonard, London; 1850.

Cholmondstone

Leonard's Gazetteer of England and Wales 1850

Cholmondstone, 5 m. N. Nantwich. P. 206

Source: Leonard's Gazetteer of England and Wales; Second Edition; C. W. Leonard, London; 1850.

Edleston

Topographical Dictionary of Great Britain and Ireland 1833

Edleston, or Eadlaston, co. Pal. of Chester.

P. T. Nantwich (164) 2 m NW b W. Pop. 95.

A township in the parish of Acton and hundred of Nantwich.

Source: A Topographical Dictionary of Great Britain and Ireland by John Gorton. The Irish and Welsh articles by G. N. Wright; Vol. I; London; Chapman and Hall, 186, Strand; 1833.

Faddiley

Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales Circa 1870

Faddiley, a township in Acton parish, Cheshire; 4 ½ miles WNW of Nantwich. Acres, 1,199. Real property, £2,056. Pop., 285. Houses, 63. There is a Wesleyan chapel.

Source: The Imperial Gazetteer of England & Wales [Wilson, John M]. A. Fullarton & Co. N. d. c. [1870-72].

A Topographical Dictionary of Great Britain and Ireland Gorton 1833

Faddiley, co. Pal. of Chester.

P. T. Nantwich (164) 5 m. W b N.

Pop. 291.

A township in the parish of Acton and hundred of Nantwich.

Source: A Topographical Dictionary of Great Britain and Ireland by John Gorton. The Irish and Welsh articles by G. N. Wright; Vol. II; London; Chapman and Hall, 186, Strand; 1833.

Maps

Vision of Britain historical maps

Administration

County: Cheshire
Civil Registration District: Nantwich
Probate Court: Pre-1541 - Court of the Bishop of Lichfield (Episcopal Consistory), Post-1540 - Court of the Bishop of Chester (Episcopal Consistory)
Diocese: Pre-1541 - Lichfield and Coventry, Post-1540 - Chester
Rural Deanery: Nantwich
Poor Law Union: Nantwich
Hundred: Nantwich
Province: York