Obsolete units of measurement formerly used in Scotland
Not to be confused with Scottish military units.
Part of a series on the
Culture of Scotland
History
Timeline
Prehistoric
Roman times
Middle Ages
Early Middle Ages
Kingdom
High Middle Ages
Davidian Revolution
Wars of Independence
Late Middle Ages
Renaissance
Early modern
Reformation
Colonisation of the Americas
Glorious Revolution
1707 Acts of Union
Jacobitism
Enlightenment
Lowland Clearances
Highland Clearances
Industrial Revolution
Romanticism
Modern
People
Languages
Scottish Gaelic
Broad Scots
Scottish English
Pictish
Norn
Traditions
Clothing
Hackle
Burning of the Clavie
Burns supper
Common Riding
Crofting
Saining
Scots law
Scottish clan
Skalk
Up Helly Aa
Units of measurement
Mythology and folklore
Cuisine
Festivals
St. Andrew's Day
Hogmanay
Burns supper
Tartan Day
Lanimer Day
Imbolc
Bealltainn/May Day
Lùnastal
Samhainn
Religion
Art
Literature
Music and performing arts
Folk music
Scottish highland dance
Scottish country dance
Scottish sword dances
Mod
Keening
Waulking song
Opera
Puirt à beul
Border Ballad
Media
Radio
Television
Cinema
Sport
Golf
Curling
Football
Haggis hurling
Hailes
Highland games
Horse racing
Rugby sevens
Rugby union
Shinty
Shot put
Monuments
World Heritage Sites
Symbols
Flag
Coat of arms
National anthem
Lion Rampant
Thistle
Tartan
Celtic cross
Celtic knot
Scottish inventions and discoveries
Scotland portal
v
t
e
Scottish or Scots units of measurement are the weights and measures peculiar to Scotland which were nominally replaced by English units in 1685 but continued to be used in unofficial contexts until at least the late 18th century.[citation needed] The system was based on the ell (length), stone (mass), and boll and firlot (volume). This official system coexisted with local variants, especially for the measurement of land area.
The system is said to have been introduced by David I of Scotland (1124–53), although there are no surviving records until the 15th century when the system was already in normal use. Standard measures and weights were kept in each burgh, and these were periodically compared against one another at "assizes of measures", often during the early years of the reign of a new monarch. Nevertheless, there was considerable local variation in many of the units, and the units of dry measure steadily increased in size from 1400 to 1700.[1][2]
The Scots units of length were technically replaced by the English system by an Act of the Parliament of Scotland in 1685,[3] and the other units by the Treaty of Union with England in 1706.[4] However, many continued to be used locally during the 18th and 19th centuries. The introduction of the Imperial system by the Weights and Measures Act 1824 (5 Geo. 4. c. 74) saw the end of any formal use in trade and commerce, although some informal use as customary units continued into the 20th century. "Scotch measure" or "Cunningham measure" was brought to parts of Ulster in Ireland by Ulster Scots settlers, and used into the mid-19th century.[5][6]
^Simpson, A. D. C. (2005), "Interpreting Scots measurement terms: a cautionary tale", in Kay, Christian J.; Mackay, Margaret A. (eds.), Perspectives on the Older Scottish Tongue, Edinburgh: University Press, pp. 139–52.
^Connor, R. D.; Simpson, A. D. C. (2004), Weights and Measures in Scotland: A European Perspective, Edinburgh: NMS/Tuckwell Press, ISBN 978-1-901663-88-4.
^"Act for a standard of miles" (16 June 1685). APSviii: 494, c.59. RPS 1685/4/83.
^Union with England Act 1707 (c. 7), art. 17.
^Andrews, John Harwood (1985). Plantation acres: an historical study of the Irish land surveyor and his maps. Ulster Historical Foundation. p. 126.
^Hall, Anna Maria (1842). Ireland: Its Scenery, Character, &c. How and Parsons. pp. 198, fn. Retrieved 15 May 2015. We notice the Scotch acre, chiefly because it is the measure employed in some of the northern Irish counties.
Scottish or Scots units of measurement are the weights and measures peculiar to Scotland which were nominally replaced by English units in 1685 but continued...
Scottish military units may refer to: Armed forces in Scotland as part of the British Armed Forces Units in former Scottish armies Scottishunits in former...
active military units, bases and barracks of the British Armed Forces in Scotland since the Treaty of Union 1707, when the Kingdom of Scotland relinquished...
use of units of measurement have played a crucial role in human endeavour from early ages up to the present. A multitude of systems of units used to...
obsolete Scottish inch (Scottish Gaelic: òirleach), 1/12 of a Scottish foot, was about 1.0016 imperial inches (about 25.44 mm). English units Square inch...
English units were the units of measurement used in England up to 1826 (when they were replaced by Imperial units), which evolved as a combination of...
[Scottish] Gaelic Dictionary (1911). See p. 861. Collins Encyclopedia of ScotlandScottish National Dictionary and Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue...
barley, oats and malt). A firlot was equal to 4 pecks. Bushel Obsolete Scottishunits of measurement Winchester measure "peck". Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia...
with respect to SI units as exactly 1,609.344 metres. With qualifiers, mile is also used to describe or translate a wide range of units derived from or roughly...
current Formations and Units having specific Scottish connections: 51 (Scottish) Brigade 52 Infantry Brigade Royal Regiment of Scotland Scots Guards Royal...
popular media. Within Scotland itself, regiments of the Scottish Lowlands did not adopt as distinctively "Scottish" (specifically Scottish Highland) uniforms...
Scotland (Scots: Scotland; Scottish Gaelic: Alba) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's...
A Scottish or Scots acre (Scottish Gaelic: acair) was a land measurement used in Scotland. It was standardised in 1661. When the Weights and Measures...
historical Scottishunits in British armies Military history of Scotland This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Scottish army. If...
This is a list of obsolete units of measurement, organized by type. These units of measurement are typically no longer used, though some may be in limited...
The Scottish Division was a British Army Infantry command, training and administrative apparatus designated for all Scottish line infantry units. It merged...
List of monarchs of Scotland Obsolete Scottishunits of measurement Royal Consorts of ScotlandScottish monarchs family tree Scottish Term Day 'In Defens'...
each corps and many units. Unit colour patches were re-introduced in 1987 for units that could trace their lineage back to units of either the 1st or...
Scottish military may refer to: Scottish military when Scotland was an independent country such as the Scots Army (see Military history of Scotland) Armed...
system of units, imperial system or imperial units (also known as British Imperial or Exchequer Standards of 1826) is the system of units first defined...
Police Scotland (Scottish Gaelic: Poileas Alba), officially the Police Service of Scotland (Seirbheis Phoilis na h-Alba), is the national police force...
United Kingdom Scottish Parliament constituencies and regions Scottish Westminster constituencies "Local government facts and figures: Scotland". lgiu.org...
The Scottish Further Education Unit (SFEU) was a development agency which supported the development of teaching and learning in the country. It was founded...
Scottish independence (Scottish Gaelic: Neo-eisimeileachd na h-Alba; Scots: Scots unthirldom) is the idea of Scotland regaining its independence and once...