Acton, Dorset

Acton
Acton and Piles of Purbeck Stone
Acton
Location within Dorset
OS grid referenceSY988784
Civil parish
Unitary authority
Ceremonial county
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townSWANAGE
Postcode districtBH19
Dialling code01929
PoliceDorset
FireDorset and Wiltshire
AmbulanceSouth Western
UK Parliament

Acton is a hamlet in the parish of Langton Matravers, on the Isle of Purbeck, in the county of Dorset in the south of England. The hamlet of Acton was built as living quarters for the quarrymen working at the local quarries.

The name “Acton” is derived from the Old English for “farm for young sheep”, the first element of which is *tacca. The hamlet was documented in the Domesday Book as Tacatone.