Coordinates: 51°33′N 2°28′W / 51.55°N 2.47°W
| Iron Acton | |
 Part of Iron Acton, looking west down the High street, from the tower of the village church (St. James the Less) |
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  Iron Acton
Iron Acton shown within Gloucestershire |
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| Population | c. 1,300 (2001 Census) |
|---|---|
| OS grid reference | |
| Parish | Iron Acton |
| Unitary authority | South Gloucestershire |
| Ceremonial county | Gloucestershire |
| Region | South West |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Bristol |
| Postcode district | BS36 |
| Dialling code | 01454 |
| Police | Avon and Somerset |
| Fire | Avon |
| Ambulance | Great Western |
| EU Parliament | South West England |
| UK Parliament | Northavon. To be replaced by Thornbury and Yate |
| List of places: UK • England • Gloucestershire | |
Iron Acton is a small village in South Gloucestershire, England. Located about halfway between Yate and Frampton Cotterell, it is bypassed by the B4058 road. The village lies south of Latteridge via the B4059, and borders the small village of Nibley.
The 'iron' part of the name originates from the mining of iron that used to take place near the village, whilst 'acton' means "town with many oak trees"; and still today there is an oak wood within the village alongside the River Frome.
Nearby is Acton Court on Latteridge Lane, a restored Tudor house. In the 16th century, Nicholas Poyntz added the East Wing onto the existing moated manor house. The addition was lavishly decorated to impress Henry VIII. The king and his second wife, Anne Boleyn, visited the house in 1535, during a tour of the West Country.
Events
Iron Acton hosts events throughout the year, including the annual May Day fair and horticultural show. Other events are organised by Acton Aid, a community organisation made up of men of the village who work together to benefit the parish of Iron Acton. Money is raised by holding social events such as the annual Fireworks Display and the Proms in the Meadows, and working with other parish organisations at the annual May Day fair. An example of such an event is the Victorian evening, during which local residents dressed up in Victorian era clothing for a fair on the street, which was accompanied by a brass band.
Railway station
The remains of Iron Acton railway station are located in the south west of Iron Acton. The station opened in 1872, with the start of services on the Midland Railway branch from Yate to Thornbury. The station closed in 1944 and was demolished in the 1960s, though the line still exists as a freight only branch from the former Midland Railway route at Yate to a stone quarry at Tytherington. Traffic on the route is low however, and consists only of one train each way per week.
The station served Iron Acton village and consisted of a single platform and a large wooden station building. A freight-only branch serving an iron mine in Frampton Cotterell connected at the station. This closed in 1872 and a truncated section of this route served as a coal depot until closure on 10 June 1963.
The remains of the platform survive, as does a crossing-keeper's cottage to the south of the station site.
External links
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