Confused by Rod, Pole or Perch

[peter]

A list of archaic measures.
In bold the measure, followed by its:
more familiar imperial measure definition.
metric or SI measure definition.
a comment on its origin or its relation to other measures.

Square rod, pole or perch
5.5 x 5.5 yards equalling 30.5 sq yds
25.292 sq m
Also called a rod, pole or perch, context defines the measure.
Usually only used in allotment measures and interchangeable term used varies by location.
Standard allotment plot is usually ten rods.

Rood
Either square rod or 0.25 acre
Definition varies by original document.

Acre
160 sq rods or 4840 sq yd
0.4047 ha
An acre can contain 16 standard allotment plots.

Hectare
2.471 acres
100m x 100m
0.01 sq km
Modern measure included for completeness.

Square mile
640 acres.
2.590 sq km

Square Inch
6.452sq cm

Square Foot
929.03 Sq cm

Square Yard
0.8361 sq m


Arpent
~ 1 acre
Old French term, measure of vinyeards. Still used in parts of Canada.

Square furlong
10 acres

Virgate
5.5 x 5.5 yards equalling 30.5 sq yds
25.292 sq m
or
30 acres
12.141 ha
An obsolete measure, see also rod, pole, perch.
or
An obsolete measure of land totalling 0.25 hide.

Hide
120 acres
A Saxon measure. The amount of land necessary to support one family. Used in the Domesday Book. Variable between ~60 and ~240 acres. The area able to be cultivated by team of eight oxen in a year. Also carucate in the area of the Danelaw.

Yoke
0.25 sulung
A Kentish measure

Sulung
2 hides
A Kentish measure.

[alan refail]

Hi Peter
I loved your list of measurements especially the sulung.

For those who have now mastered their rods, poles or perches, here are few more from medieval Wales. some still continue in Welsh place-names

4 Erw, acre = 1 Tyddyn, smallholding

4 Tyddyn = 1 Rhandir, district

4 Rhandir = 1 Gafael, bailiwick

4 Gafael = 1 Tref, township

4 Tref = 1 Maenol, manor

12 Maenol and 2 Tref = 1 Cwmwd, commote

2 Cwmwd, 1 Cantref, or hundred townships

Alan

[oldherbaceous]

These are so much more fun than metric, don't you think.

[Allan]

Apart from fun, it keeps the old brain cells active.

[alan refail]

It sure does

If anyone's still confused by rods, poles etc, how about nails, palms, spans and shaftments?

A look at this will keep the brain cells active and provide an alternative to metric.

http://www.unc.edu/~rowlett/units/custom.html

Happy measuring

Alan