Iron Acton
Major Settlement in the Parish of Iron Acton
Historical Forms
- Actvne 1086 DB
- Acton(e) 1220 Fees 1224 FF 1248 Ass 1361 Ass
- Iren(e) Acton(e) 1248 Ass 1255 Mrk 1285 Episc 1287 Ass 1535 VE
- Irenn Acton(e) 1287 Ass
- Irn Acton(e) 1287 QW
- Iron Acton(e) 1324 Misc 1452 Pat 1741 PR
- Irynacton 1411 Pat
- Irren Acton(e) 1461–85 ECP
- Irun Acton(e) 1475 FF
Etymology
'Farmstead near the oak-tree', v. āc , tūn . The affix 'Iron' (v. īren ) refers to old iron-workings in the vicinity; Rudder 213 noted that 'great quantities of iron-cinders lying about in several places show that here formerly were iron-works, which probably ceased for want of wood to carry them on'; cf. also Sinderford (infra ).