Walter Acton Bt MP (abt. 1621 - 1665)

Born about 1621 in Shropshire, England

Ancestors

Husband of Catherine (Cressett) Acton — married before 1650 (to 1665) in Shropshire, England

Descendants

Died 1665 at about age 44 in Shropshire, England

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Biography

Walter Acton Bt MP was born in Shropshire, England.

Walter Acton Bt MP is Notable.

Sir Walter Acton, 2nd Bart. of Aldenham (b. c. 1621, age 2 in 1623), was a toddler at the time of the Visitations (1623).^[1][2] He was the eldest son of Sir Edward Acton, 1st Bart. of Aldenham (d. 29 Jun 1659), and active Royalist, and Sarah Mitton.^{[1][2][3] [4] [5][6]} Walter succeeded to the baronetcy and Aldenham Park when his father died in 1659.^[6][7][8]

The Acton Baronetcy, of Aldenham in Shropshire, was created in the Baronetage of England on 17 January 1644 for the Edward Acton, MP for Bridgnorth during the the Short and Long Parliaments. Edward supported Charles I during the English Civil War. ^[9]

Walter sat for Bridgnorth in the Convention Parliament of 1660 in disregard of the Long Parliament ordinance.^[2][6] He also served as J.P. for Shropshire from July 1660, and was a commissioner for assessment from September 1660. In October 1660 he was a lieutenant in the volunteers cavalry; commissioner for loyal and indigent officers in 1662; and commissioner for corporations from 1662 to 1663. He became Deputy Lieutenant in 1662.^[2]

Marriage

Sometime before c. 1650, Walter married Catherine Cressett in Shropshire, England.^[2][3] They had ten children. ^{[10] [8][4]}

children

1. Sir Edward Acton, 3rd Baronet (1649-1716),
2. Walter Acton (1651-11 Mar 1718),
3. Richard Acton (1652-1705),
4. Thomas Acton,
5. William Acton,
6. Robert Acton (b. 1655),
7. Francis Acton (1657-24 Aug 1733),
8. Catherine Acton,
9. Elizabeth Acton
10. Sarah Acton

Property

Aldenham Park, Shropshire

The first known house on this site was an irregular courtyard house, built for the Actons, who acquired the estate in 1465. As recorded in a plan of 1625. After the house had been rebuilt, it had a gatehouse and a hall placed unusually to one side of the courtyard. Much of the house may have been built or rebuilt for Walter Acton in the 1620s, although parts were evidently earlier.

This house was demolished in 1690 and rebuilt in a quiet Baroque manner as an eleven by seven bay block around a courtyard. It was probably designed by William Taylor of London, who was certainly consulted in the 1680s and rebuilt Minsterley church in 1688. ^{[11] [12]}

Death

Walter passed away in 1665, and was buried at Morville, Shropshire on 3 September 1665.^[2] At his death, he left a herd of twenty-three (23) head valued at £125 3s 4d, comprising three mares and followers (£25), three more old mares (£7 10s 0d), two twinter colts (£6 13s 4d) and three yearlings (£6), as well as four stallions (£60) and five geldings (£20). Sir Walter may have loaned out his stallions to serve the mares of other gentlemen as this was a common practice among members of his class.^[13]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Acton of Aldenham, (Vis. of Salop, 1623).[1]
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5} Henning, B.D. (1983). "Acton, Sir Walter, 2nd Bt. (c.1621-65), of Aldenham Hall, Salop.," in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1660-1690. HOP. Web.
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} "Acton, of Aldenham, co. Shropshire (E Baronet, 1643/4)."; Cracroft's Peerage, The Complete Guide to the British Peerage & Baronetage. Heraldic Media Limited. v. May 15, 2012)
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} "Acton," in Burke's Peerage, Baronetage, and Knightage 1931. Web. http://peerageandgentry.com/texts/bp1931/acton.html
5. ↑ Lundy, D. (n.d.). Sir Walter Acton, 2nd Bt. #1644. The Peerage, citing: A genealogical survey of the peerage of Britain as well as the royal families of Europe, p. 165. http://thepeerage.com/p165.htm#i1644
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1 6.2} Henning, B.D. (1983). The House of Commons 1660-1690, 1, p. 524. Boydell & Brewer.
7. ↑ UK all Members of Parliament 1213-1874 U.K., City and County Directories, 1600s-1900s. Ancestry.com, 2010.
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1} Wikipedia: Sir Walter Acton, 2nd Baronet. v. 13:40, 18 September 2019.[2]
9. ↑ "Baron Acton." revolvy.com
10. ↑ "ACTON of Aldenham,Salop.", Rayment, Leigh. The Baronetage of England, Ireland, Nova Scotia, Great Britain and the United Kingdom.
11. ↑ Historic England: Aldenham Park
12. ↑ Landed families of Britain and Ireland. Weblog. http://landedfamilies.blogspot.com/2013/03/21-acton-later-lyon-dalberg-acton-of.html
13. ↑ "Inventory of Sir Walter Acton of Aldenham 9 Sept. 1665." English Rural Society, 1500-1800: Essays in Honour of Joan Thirsk, Pages 246-7, By John Chartres and David Hey, Published 2006“

See also:

• The Royalist and Parliamentarian War Effort in Shropshire During the First and Second English Civil Wars, 1642-1648; Worton, Jonothan. Published: 2015. (accessed February 15, 2020)

Changes...

• profile has been improved by a member of the England Project's Orphan Trail; Research Notes: Could not find Baptism, Marriage or Burial record for Walter, have searched Family search, Ancestry.com, Find My Past.