Readers without white hair may not be familiar with some of the currency and measurements used. Where we’ve remembered conversions are given but this guide may be of use.
Lengths
Distance was measured in inches (25mm), twelve of these made a foot (300mm), three feet made a yard (0.9m) and 1,760 yards a mile (1.58km). Shown as 1″, 1 in. , 1′, 1 ft. These were not necessarily standardised across the country in the 14C but were in the later periods discussed. The fathom -was used for depth on charts, equals 6 ft. or 1.8m
Areas are a trifle more complex but we have used only acres (0.4 hectare). The relationship between rods, poles, perches, furlongs and acres is well worth looking up.
Money – cannot really be compared across even a few decades let alone centuries so we can only give a nominal equivalent. The basic units, until decimalisation in 1971, were the £ pound, s Shilling and d Penny. £,s,d are actually abbreviations of the latin Libra, Solidus, Denarius which is why the d isn’t a p. £5 notes were things of beauty and worth a lot. Shown as £1 5s. 3d., £1/5/3, 5 shillings could 5s. or 5/- The penny had subdivisions into four farthings, twelve pennies made one shilling and twenty shillings a £ or pound. Another unit which is mentioned is the Guinea. This was a pound and a shilling and resulted from the extra value of the extra pure gold in the coin, the use of the term far outlived the use of the coin. There were various other denominations such as groats, florins, crowns etc. which we don’t cover here. This all sounds really complicated but it worked very well.
Weights
Were based on pounds,
quarter
coomb (2cwt)sacks
peck
groat
add perches
peck
gallon