Acton, County Armagh

Acton (from the Old English meaning "place of many oak trees") is a small village in County Armagh, Northern Ireland, about a half mile north of Poyntzpass. In the 2001 Census it had a population of 78 people. It is situated within the Armagh City and District Council area.

History

The village was originally founded by Sir Toby Poyntz, who, for his military services, obtained a grant of convert|500|acre|km2 of land, part of the forfeited estates of the O'Hanlons, and erected a bawn convert|100|ft|m square, a house of brick and lime for his own residence, and 24 cottages for so many English settlers, and called the place Acton, after his own native village in England. It consists of one main street, and in 1837 contained about 50 houses "indifferently built".

References

* [http://www.ninis.nisra.gov.uk/ NI Neighbourhood Information System]
* [http://homepages.tesco.net/~hugh.daly/other.htm Poyntzpass History]
* [http://www.from-ireland.net/lewis/arm/acton.htm Lewis's Topographical Dictionary of Ireland, 1837]

See also

*List of villages in Northern Ireland
*List of towns in Northern Ireland