THE TOWNLAND OF ACTON
The townland of Acton is in the parish of Ballymore in Armagh County. It is
labelled number 1 on the map.
In 1838:
“The village of Acton is a poor collection of 55 houses,
4 of which are of 2-storeys, 50 cabins and 1 public house…Acton
old church (in ruins) is situated near the village of the same name on the
road to Markethill. Nothing now remains of the building but a part of the
north wall, 19 feet long and 11 feet high, built of whinstones, partially
squared and laid in courses. Within the surrounding
burying ground and used as a headstone to one of the graves stands the half
of a stone formerly part of the building itself, with the following inscription [sketched out]: “This church
was built at the sole expense of Sir Toby Poyntz, Knt, the son of Sir Charles
Poyntz, Knt, of Acton, anno 1684, and dedicated to the Blessed and Undivided
Trinity.” (Ordnance
Survey Memoirs 1835-38)
The Environment and Heritage Service Sites and Monuments Record (2002) notes the following in this townland:
-
SETTLEMENT (village) of the Seventeenth Century
SMR NO: ARM 018:043
Irish Grid Reference: J05714113
Sitename: ACTON
Townland: ACTON
CONDITION: traces only
This is the plantation village built by Sir Toby Poyntz to go with his bawn ARM 018:039. See description & bibliography for 018:039 for details [Brannock Bawn]
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
SEE BIBLIOGRAPHY FOR ARM 018:039 [Brannock Bawn]
The Public Record Office in Belfast lists the following in its Geographical
Index: D.1607/3 [see also D.1606/11A/1] (Rent receipt book.); VAL.2B/2/32E (Griffith
valuation list.); D.670/2 (Survey map with list of tenants of estate of Col.Close.);
D.1540 (Title deeds, etc., re estates of Hall family, in area.); VAL.12E/54/1-2C
1935 (Annual revision town plans.); OS/6/2/18/1 (Surveyed 1835. Engraved 1835.);
OS/6/2/18/2 (Surveyed 1835. Engraved 1835. Revised 1860. Engraved 1863.); OS/6/2/18/3
(Surveyed 1835. Revised 1906. Published 1908.); OS/6/2/18/4 (Surveyed 1835.
Revised 1906. Published 1908. (2 copies – 1st a reprint 1930, 1933 and 2nd reprint
1933, 1939, 1942, 1946, 1955.); OS/6/2/18/5 (Surveyed 1906. Revised 1954-5.
Levelled 1892, 1901-2, 1904 and 1906. Published 1958 (2 copies).); VAL/1B/214
(1st valuation records.); VAL/12B/15/23A, VAL/12B/15/23B, VAL/12B/15/23C, VAL/12B/15/23D,
VAL/12B/15/23E (Valuation annual revision list.).
