Old Cornish units of measurement

The old Cornish units of measurement were used in the 1700s and based on English measurements in their name and rough size, although had slight difference in their values.[1]

Area

[edit]
Table of Cornish Area and equivalent units
Unit Relative to Previous Square yard Cornish Acre
Cornish Fathing Land 12 Knight's Fee 145200 48
Cornish Knight's Fees 4 Cornish Acres 12100 4
Cornish Acre 4 Cornish Ferlings 3025 1
Cornish Ferling 9 Cornish Rods 756.25 14
Cornish Rod 5 Cornish Leases 84 136
Cornish Lease 2 Cornish Lorghs 16.8 1180
Cornish Lorgh 4 Cornish Sticks 8.4 1360
Cornish Sticks 14 of a Cornish Lorgh 2.1 1720

Richard Carew's Survey of Cornwall (1602) says:[2]

Commonly thirtie Acres make a farthing land, nine farthings a Cornish Acre, and foure Cornish Acres, a Knights fee. But this rule is ouerruled to a greater or lesser quantitie, according to the fruitfulnesse, or barrennesse of the soyle.

Cornish acre – 120 statute acres (or possibly 64), 8 score lease. Equal to 0.066 Acres. Cornish ferling/farthing – ¼ a Cornish acre Cornish lease – four sticks Cornish stick – four yards, three yards square Cornish Knight's fee – four Cornish acres Cornish rod – 160 lace to a Cornish acre, 36sq. rods Cornish lace – 18 ft square Cornish land rod/lorgh – half a lace, 9 ft square

Length

[edit]
Table of Cornish length and equivalent units
Unit Equivalent
Cornish Fathom 5 ft
Cornish Mile 1.5 miles

Capacity

[edit]
Table of Cornish Capacity and equivalent units
Unit Equivalent
Cornish Bushel 3 Winchester bushels
Cornish gallon 10 lb
Cornish apple gallon 7 lb

Mass

[edit]
Table of Cornish Mass and equivalent units
Unit Equivalent
Cornish ton/mining ton 21 cwt
Cornish pound 18 ounces (butter)

Fish

[edit]
Table of Cornish Fish Measurements
Unit Relative
Cornish Warp 4 Fish
Cornish Burn 21 Fish
Cornish Hundred 132 Fish
Cornish Mease 505 Herrings
Cornish Cran 800 Herrings
Cornish Long Hundred 8 times 120+5 Fish
Cornish Last 132,000 Fish
Cornish Ounce 16th part (of either a sein of fish or property)

Sources

[edit]
  • Thornton B. Edwards, Cornish! a Dictionary of Phrases, Terms and Epithets Beginning with the word "Cornish", 2005.
  1. ^ "What is a Cornish acre?". www.sizes.com. Retrieved 31 October 2022.
  2. ^ Carew, Richard (1769). The Survey of Cornwall by. p. 36. Retrieved 22 August 2018.