Acton St Mary Cheshire Family History Guide

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Acton St Mary or Acton near Nantwich an Ancient Parish in the county of Cheshire. Nantwich was a chapelry of Acton.

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

Alternative names: Acton near Nantwich

Parishes created from Acton Ancient Parish include:

Parish registers begin:

  • Parish registers: 1653
  • Bishop’s Transcripts: 1586

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

Adjacent Parishes

Acton Village, Nantwich, Cheshire
MILTON TERRACE & THE BAPTIST CHURCH STATION HILL ACTON VILLAGE CHESHIRE
Chester Road in Acton, near Nantwich, Cheshire. Circa 1910
Acton, Village and Church near Nantwich
Acton Hall Old Cottages near Nantwich
Acton Main Road near Nantwich
Acton Village Nantwich
Acton Village Nantwich
Acton Village Scene near Nantwich
St Marys Church Acton Nantwich Cheshire c1907.

Acton Parish Registers

Search online registers of baptisms, marriages, banns and burials including digitised images of original records and registers and indexed transcriptions.

Baptism, Marriage and Burial Records

These records include images of Church of England parish registers of baptism, marriage, and burial records.

Acton St Mary, Cheshire Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1653-1859

Acton St Mary, Cheshire Church of England Baptisms, 1813-1943

Acton St Mary, Cheshire Church of England Bishop’s Transcripts – Baptisms, Marriages and Burials – 1586-1886

Acton St Mary, Cheshire Church of England Bishop’s Transcripts – Baptisms – 1796-1886

Marriage and Banns Records

These records include images of Church of England parish registers of marriages and banns records.

Acton St Mary, Cheshire Church of England Marriages and Banns 1754-1943

Acton St Mary, Cheshire Church of England Bishop’s Transcripts – Marriages and Banns – 1796-1886

Death and Burial Records

These records include images of Church of England parish registers of deaths and burial records.

Acton St Mary, Cheshire Church of England Burials 1813-1982

Acton St Mary, Cheshire Church of England Bishop’s Transcripts – Burials, 1796-1886

Acton Parish Records

An index of parish records of people from Acton. The index includes information from An Index to the Wills and Administrations (including the “Infra” Wills) now preserved in the Probate Registry at Chester for the years 1801-1810 Part 1 A to L.

An Index to the Wills and Administrations Preserved in the Probate Registry at Chester 1801-1810 Part 1 A to L.

The following names have been extracted from the book An Index to the Wills and Administrations (including the “Infra” Wills) now preserved in the Probate Registry at Chester for the years 1801-1810 Part 1 A to L.

The “Infra” Wills are in italics. A.W. signifies an Administration with the Will annexed. A.W.C. signifies an Administration with the Will and Codicil annexed. C. signifies Will and Codicil. C.C. signifies Will and two Codicils, and so on. T. or Tuit. signifies Tuition. “P.R. 1866” signifies that a subsequent grant was made in 1866 (or whatever date is given) out of the Principal Registry at Somerset House after the Will had been originally proved in the Consistory Court at Chester. “D.R. 1866” signifies that a subsequent grant was made in 1866 (or whatever date is given) out of the District Registry at Chester after the Will had been originally proved in the Consistory Court at Chester.

Ankers, George, of Burnland, p, of Acton, yeoman 20 Nov. 1810

Bartlett, Peter, of Cholmondeston, p. of Acton 30 Jan. 1801

Borrows, Thomas, of Cholmondeston, p. of Acton, laborer Ad. 24 Oct. 1804

Bruce, Richard, of Acton A.W. 3 Aug. 1807

Burroughs, Charles, of Acton, butcher [17 Mar. ?] 1802

Church, Sabbath, of Edleston, p. of Acton, gentleman 27 Dec. 1808

Craven, Richard, of Stoke, p. of Acton, esquire Ad. 4 Jan. 1804

Davenport, Charles, of Acton, co. Chester 10 May 1808

Fisher, Ann, of Acton, widow 1 Jun. 1807

Heppard, Charles, of Acton 11 Mar. 1803

Hulse, Mary, of Henhull, p. of Acton 23 Nov. 1803

Parish History

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].

Acton A Topographical Dictionary of England 1848

ACTON (St. Mary), a parish, in the union and hundred of Nantwich, S. division of Cheshire; comprising the townships of Acton, Aston-juxta-Mondrum, Austerson, Baddington, Brindley, Burland, Cholmondstone, Cool-Pilate, Edleston, Faddiley, Henhull, Hurleston, Poole, Stoke, Worleston, and part of Soond; and containing 4134 inhabitants, of whom 328 are in the township of Acton, 1¼ mile (N. W. by W.) from Nantwich.

This place was the scene of some hostilities during the parliamentary war. In October 1643, the church and Dorford Hall were occupied by the royalists, on whose retreat both were garrisoned by the parliament. They were afterwards captured by the king’s troops under Lord Byron; but, on the raising of the siege of Nantwich, Sir Thomas Fairfax compelled the garrisons to surrender, and among the prisoners were sixty officers, including Col. Monk, afterwards Duke of Albemarle. In the township of Acton are 674 acres; the soil is half clay and half sand. The Chester and Crewe railway crosses the Middlewich and Wardle canal at the Cholmondstone lock in this parish.

The living is a vicarage, valued in the king’s books at £19. 9. 7.; net income, £324; patron and impropriator, John Tollemache, Esq., of Tilston Lodge: the great tithes of Acton township have been commuted for £41. 6., and the vicarial tithes for £26. 14. The church exhibits some curiously ornamented windows; the tower is partly in the early style of English architecture. At Burley-Dam is a second church, the living of which is a perpetual curacy, in the gift of Viscount Combermere; net income, £100. A grammar school is endowed with £16 per annum, and a house; and there is a school in connexion with the National Society. Sir Roger Wilbraham founded and endowed two alms-houses in 1613.

Source: A Topographical Dictionary of England by Samuel Lewis 1848

Acton 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.

Acton 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.

Acton 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].

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].

Faddiley 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.

Newhall A Topographical Dictionary of England 1848

NEWHALL, a township, chiefly in the parish of Acton, and partly in that of Audlem, union and hundred of Nantwich, S. division of the county of Chester, 5½ miles (S. W. by S.) from Nantwich; containing 936 inhabitants. This township borders on the parish of Wrenbury, and is of considerable extent, comprising 3899 acres, partly a clayey and partly a sandy soil, and almost all dairy land; the cheeses made here are particularly good, and realise high prices. The impropriate tithes have been commuted for £332. 6. 3., and the small tithes for £153, of which £82 are payable to the vicar of Acton, and £71 to the vicar of Audlem.

Source: A Topographical Dictionary of England by Samuel Lewis 1848

Historical Maps

View detailed 19th-century Ordnance Survey maps from the National Library of Scotland Maps – includes OS 25 inch 1892-1918 maps, a vast range of other historical OS maps and land use maps. These maps reveal old street layouts, parish boundaries, and landmarks long since vanished.

Alan Godfrey Old Ordnance Survey Maps

Chester and Central Cheshire 1905 One Inch Sheet 109

The full range of Cheshire maps produced by Alan Godfrey are available in the Cheshire Maps section of the Books & Maps area. There you can search by principal villages and parishes, by key features for town and city plans, and sort the maps by type and scale. Coverage is taken from the places listed in Alan Godfrey’s own map descriptions, although smaller parishes may not be explicitly named. View all the Cheshire & District Alan Godfrey 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

Sources

The following sources have been used to compile this article.

  • F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Northern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1991)
  • FamilySearch Research Wiki – Cheshire, England Genealogy
  • Cheshire Archives and Local Studies Catalogue
  • Ancestry.co.uk

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