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Acton, London
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Acton is a place in west London, situated 6.4 miles (10.3 km) west of Charing Cross. At the time of the 2001 census, Acton, comprising the wards of East Acton, Acton Central, South Acton and Southfield, had a population of 53,689 people.[1]
Acton means "oak farm" or "farm by oak trees", and is derived from the Anglo-Saxon ac (oak) and tun (farm).[2] Originally an ancient village (mentioned in the Domesday Book), as London expanded, Acton became absorbed into the city. Nowadays, Acton lies predominantly in the London Borough of Ealing, although some of East Acton lies within the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham.
Central Acton lies on the former main road between London and Oxford (the Uxbridge Road) and several inns along it date back several centuries as stopping places for travellers. Nowadays, the principal route linking London and Oxford (the A40 dual carriageway) bypasses central Acton, but passes through North Acton.
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Several springs were found towards the end of the 17th century on the north-east side of Acton and, for a time, they became health spas. As a result of the local soft water Acton became famous for its laundries and at the end of the 19th century there were around 170 establishments in South Acton. These laundries would serve hotels and the rich in London's West End, leading to the nickname "soapsuds island".
Acton formed an urban district and, later, municipal borough of Middlesex from 1894 to 1965. Its former area was used to form part of the London Borough of Ealing in 1965.
During the 20th Century Acton was a major industrial centre employing tens of thousands of people, particularly in the motor vehicles and components industries. The industries of North Acton merged with the great industrial concentrations of Park Royal and Harlesden. Further south Acton Vale had famous names including Napier & Son (engines), H. Bronnley & Co (Soaps), Evershed & Vignoles (electrical equipment), Lucas CAV (automotive electrical), Vandervell Products (bearings), T. Wall & Son (Wall's Sausages and Wall's Ice Cream) and Wilkinson Sword (swords and razors). Acton is now principally residential, though it maintains some light industry, particularly in the northeast Park Royal area, and the south near the border with Chiswick.
Acton is home to the largest housing estate in West London, the South Acton estate, with approximately 2,000 homes and 5,800 residents.[3] This area is currently in the Phase 2 of a major 15-year phased regeneration which includes near-total demolition of the existing residential units, and the construction of new and more numerous residential units.
Since World War II, Acton has had a small but notable population of Polish immigrants. In recent years, a number of Antipodean immigrants have settled there; there are several Australian and South African pubs concentrated in a small area. Other substantial immigrant groups include Iraqis and Somalis. A Japanese school has attracted a Japanese community to West Acton.
Eating and Drinking
Acton High Street has a range of pubs which vary in theme and clientele. The Puzzle and the Redback Tavern are particularly popular pubs for the many Antipodeans who live in and travel to the area. The newly opened 'Belvedere'on the High Street is the UK's first Polish pub run by a UK chain. More traditional pubs include the newly restored St George and the Dragon on the High Street, which has earned Fancyapint.com's top 5-pint rating. The Red Lion & Pineapple (a Wetherspoons pub) is popular with younger people and older people, particularly those out seeking a very cheap pint. On and around the High Street is a range of restaurants, including the Be Thai, Thai Nice, the North China and the only Nepalese restaurant in the W3/W4 area, the Tandoori Palace.
On Churchfield Road, which runs north of and parallel to the High Street, is a range of pubs and restaurants, from the Churchfield near the level crossing to the Rocket, a gastropub and Vanilla, an organic coffee shop and deli. There are Korean, Lebanese, Chinese, Portuguese and Spanish bars and restaurants, along with a well-regarded Indian restaurant, 3Spice. Churchfield Road also features a flower shop, several specialist clothes and antique shops and many hairdressers.
Recreation
The recently refurbished 'Mount' on Acton High Street hosts a weekly Farmers Market from 9 am to 1 pm every Saturday. Visitors to the market can shop at choice of stalls selling a range of produce which includes organic & outdoor reared meat, game (when in season), dairy, fruit juice, freshly caught fish, plants, flowers, hand-made preserves, soft fruit & top fruit, herbs, free range eggs, bread and cakes from local bakeries and the freshest vegetables and salads.
Acton's library, swimming baths and Town Hall are fine examples of tall Victorian municipal buildings that can be found along the High Street (a conservation area).
On the east end of Acton High Street, is Acton Park, which features bowls facilities, a children’s play area, tennis courts and an art block. There is a cafe next to the bowling green selling meals as well as tea/coffee and cakes.
- Acton was the birthplace of The Who, of which all members except Keith Moon went to Acton High School.
- Pete Townshend's 1982 solo album, All the Best Cowboys Have Chinese Eyes, contained the track "Stardom in Acton" in reference to his home town, while the accompanying video was filmed on and around Acton High Street.
- The Monty Python sketch 'Bicycle Repair Man' was shot on Churchfield Road.
- Harlech Tower, on the South Acton estate, was a stand-in for the fictional Nelson Mandela House, the home of Del Boy in the popular sitcom Only Fools and Horses.
- Acton Park often hosts filming for programmes such as Rose & Macaulay and The Deal.
- The first Waitrose store was in Acton. Originally called "Waite, Rose and Taylor", it opened in 1904, at number 263 Acton Hill. A metal plate commemorating this has been inserted into the pavement outside these premises as it was not possible to obtain permission from the current owners of the building to affix a plaque onto it.
- Scenes from the 1986 movie Aliens and the 1989 movie Batman were shot inside the disused Acton power station.
- Musician M.I.A in interviews has hinted one of the meanings of her stage name is "Missing in Acton", with Acton being the place she grew up.
- Adam Faith first lived at 4, Churchfield Road, from 1940, till about 1960.
Acton has seven railway stations, namely North, East, South, West, Central, Mainline and Town. Four of these are on the London Underground and three on national rail. Acton is the only town in London to have all four of the points of the compass as Stations.
- Acton Town tube station, Piccadilly Line, District Line
- North Acton tube station, Central Line
- East Acton tube station, Central Line
- West Acton tube station, Central Line
- Acton Central railway station, London Overground
- South Acton railway station, London Overground
- Acton Main Line railway station, First Great Western
Transport for London, led by the Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, proposed to build a West London Tram between Shepherd's Bush and Uxbridge town centre. It would have run along the A4020, the Uxbridge Road, through Acton, Ealing, West Ealing, Hanwell, Southall and Hayes End. This proposed scheme was highly controversial and has resulted in strong differences in opinion between TfL, who support the scheme, and local councils throughout the proposed route, who have all taken a 'no tram' stance. The scheme was recently shelved.
 View of South Acton from Barwick House, showing Jerome Tower and Berrymede Junior School |
 Acton Park |
 Barwick House, on the South Acton estate |
 Blocks of flats on the South Acton estate |
- ^ Ealing.gov.uk
- ^ Room, Adrian: “Dictionary of Place-Names in the British Isles”, Bloomsbury, 1988
- ^ South Acton Residents Action Group
- actonW3.com: Acton community website
- sarag.org: Residents' association for South Acton
- Moosehead Acton Triva Quiz site
- Stardom in Acton video on YouTube
- Transport for London: Official site for West London Tram scheme
- History of Acton website
- British History Online - Acton
- Acton Farmers' Market Website
- Council Tax charges in 2007/08
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| Districts |
Acton · Ealing · East Acton · Greenford · Hanwell · North Acton · Northolt · Norwood Green · Perivale · Southall |
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| Parks and open spaces in Ealing | ||