Old Cornish units of measurement

The old Cornish units of measurement were used in Cornwall in the 1700s. They are based on English measurements in their names and rough sizes, but had slight differences in their values.

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 Cornish Rod 5 Cornish Leases 84 Cornish Lease 2 Cornish Lorghs 16.8 Cornish Lorgh 4 Cornish Sticks 8.4 Cornish Sticks of a Cornish Lorgh 2.1

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

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.