Acton, County Armagh

Human settlement in Northern Ireland

List of places: UK; Northern Ireland; Armagh

54°18′24″N 6°22′33″W / 54.30667°N 6.37583°W / 54.30667; -6.37583

Acton is a hamlet and townland of 22 acres in County Armagh, Northern Ireland, about a half mile north of Poyntzpass. It is situated in the civil parish of Ballymore and the historic barony of Orior Lower^[1] and within the Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council area. It had a population of 72 people (28 households) in the 2011 Census.^[2]

History

The village was founded in the 17th century, during the Plantation of Ulster, by Sir Toby Poyntz. He was the son of Lieutenant Charles Poyntz, who, for his military services, obtained a 500 acres (2.0 km²) grant of land that had been confiscated from the O'Hanlons by the English. The Irish called the area An Chora Uachtarach, meaning "the upper weir".^[3] Before it was named Acton, the townland was known as Curryotragh. There he built a bawn 100 feet (30 m) square, a house of brick and lime for himself, and 24 cottages for some English settlers. The Poyntz family were anciently feudal barons of Curry Mallet in Somerset, England, later of Iron Acton in Gloucestershire, after which Acton, County Armagh, was named.^[3] By 1837, the village contained about 50 houses "indifferently built".^[4]

References

^ "Acton". IreAtlas Townlands Database. Retrieved 13 May 2015.
^ "Acton". Census 2011 Results. NI Statistics and Research Agency. Archived from the original on 22 April 2015. Retrieved 22 April 2015.
^ ^a ^b "Acton". Place Names NI. Archived from the original on 6 May 2021. Retrieved 13 May 2015.
^ "Acton Parish, Co. Armagh, Ireland, ©Jane Lyons". from-ireland.net. Archived from the original on 13 June 2006. Retrieved 21 July 2021.