Old Cornish units of measurement

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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

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 ​1⁄4
Cornish Rod 5 Cornish Leases 84 ​1⁄36
Cornish Lease 2 Cornish Lorghs 16.8 ​1⁄180
Cornish Lorgh 4 Cornish Sticks 8.4 ​1⁄360
Cornish Sticks ​1⁄4 of a Cornish Lorgh 2.1 ​1⁄720

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

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

Capacity

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

Mass

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

Fish

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

  • Thornton B. Edwards, Cornish! a Dictionary of Phrases, Terms and Epithets Beginning with the word "Cornish", 2005.
  1. ↑ "What is a Cornish acre?". https://www.sizes.com/units/acre-cornish.htm. 
  2. ↑ Carew, Richard (1769). The Survey of Cornwall by. p. 36. http://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/9878/pg9878-images.html. Retrieved 22 August 2018. 



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