'0 Guardian of the people, let me praise and thank you 
For all the real joys I received in this world. 
Now, gracious Lord, as never before, I need Your grace.
That my soul may set out on its journey to You, 
0 Prince of Angels, that my soul may depart 
Into Your power in peace.
I pray That the devils may never destroy it.
Then the heathens hewed him down 
And the two men who stood there supporting him 
Aelfnoth and Wulfmaer fell to the dust, 
Both gave their lives in the defence of their lord." 

Domesday Book - A.D. 1086 

The description of Acton contained in Domesday Book is as follows :- 
Aketune - Land of Ranulf Pevrell 
In the time of Edward the Confessor Seward of Maldon held Acton as a Manor.
There were 12 Carucates of land with Soc and Sac. 
There were then always 23 Villeins, and 28 Bordarii, and 17 Serfs. 
There were then and afterwards 8 ploughs on the demesne lands, but now there are 6. 
There were then and afterwards 20 ploughs belonging to the men, now there are 14. There are 50 acres of meadow, and woodland sufficient for depasturing 40 hogs. 
There were then and afterwards 2 Mills, now there is 1.
There were then 8 horses at the Hall;   there are now 11. 
There were then 34 beasts, now there are 31. 
There were then 200 pigs, now there are 160. 
There were then 300 sheep, there are now 423. 
There were then 9 hives of bees, now there are 7. 
There is a Church here to which belong 30 acres of freeland adjacent to and appurtenant thereto. 
Then and after the Manor was valued at £15, it is now worth £30. There are in Acton, 4 freemen on 50 acres, over which land Radulfus has protection. 

Sir Robert de Bures 

Sir Robert was granted the Manor of Acton at the end of the thirteenth cen- tury in the reign of Edward the First, known as "The Hammer of the Scots", a warrior king who led his armies in the Holy Land, the Continent, Scotland and Wales. 
Nothing seems to be known of Robert's parents or childhood, but his surname suggests he came from the vicinity of Bures and his parents were possibly yeoman farmers. 

Robert is first heard of working for Edward in Wales between 1283 and 1295, assisting in the crushing of rebellions and concerning himself with the judicial and administrative work. For example, in 1287 Robert was ordered to come himself and bring one hundred foot soldiers to assist with the suppression of the revolt of Rhys ap Maredudd in Wales. At the time he was styled the Bailiff of Queen Eleanor and acted as custodian of the Queen's castle of Haverford West. 

From the terms used to describe him, it would appear that Robert was a trooper in the King's small standing army. These men performed a wide variety of tasks: they garrisoned castles, helped to administer new conquests, fought near the King and requisitioned supplies. Each had to maintain two servants and three horses.