Old Cornish units of measurement explained

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
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:^[2]

Cornish acre – 120 statute acres (or possibly 64), 8 score lease. Equal to 0.066 Acres.Cornish ferling/farthing – ¼ a Cornish acreCornish lease – four sticksCornish stick – four yards, three yards squareCornish Knight's fee – four Cornish acresCornish rod – 160 lace to a Cornish acre, 36sq. rodsCornish lace – 18 ft squareCornish 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.

Notes and References

1. Web site: What is a Cornish acre? . www.sizes.com . 31 October 2022.
2. Book: Carew . Richard . The Survey of Cornwall by . 1769 . 36 . 22 August 2018.