Acton, a village, a township, and a parish in Cheshire. The township lies on the Shropshire Union Canal, 1 mile WNW of Nantwich, and has a post office under Nantwich, which is the money order and telegraph office. Population, 247. The parish, called Acton St Mary, comprises the townships of Acton, Coole Pilate, Burland, Edleston, Austerson, Baddington, Faddiley, Brindley, Henhull, Hurleston, and Stoke. Area of the civil parish, 771; population, 247; area of the ecclesiastical, 10,645 ; population, 1996. Dorfold Hall, the seat of the lord of the manor, was built in 1616, and contains some good oak panelling. The manor belonged to the Saxon earl Morcar, and passed, through the Levels, Ardens, and Wilbrahams, to the Tollemaches. The living is a vicarage in the diocese of Chester; net value, £400. Patron, Lord Tollemache. The registers date from 1668. The principal occupation is cheese-making. The parish church of St Mary's is a handsome Early English structure, with chancel, nave, and aisles, tower, chapel, and a peal of six bells; it contains several ancient monuments, and there is a piscina in the south aisle, and a piscina and stall in the chancel. During the Civil War the Royal forces were driven into Acton Church and there captured.
