It was only with the Union of the Kingdoms in 1707, that Scotland and England began to standardise their weights and measures. Prior to this date the Scottish system was quite distinct and many terms may be found in old documents that may be mis-interpreted or be unknown to the searcher.

Set out below are some weights and measures which may be of use to the Family Historian.

MONEY

Although similar names were given to the coinage of both realms, their values differed. Scottish money was worth one twelfth of its Sterling namesake.

Scottish/English

12d = 1d (about ½p)
£1 = 1/8d (about 8½p)
1 merk (13/4d) = 1/1½d (about 5½p)

SCOTTISH MONEY

In 1574 lyon pieces, unicorns, angel pieces, bonnet pieces, nobles, nonsunts, ryders, ryals, merks, half-merks, crown groats, groats of flower de luce, pennies, bodles, placks and bawbees were all in common use for money.

2 bawbees = 1 penny
2 pennies = 1 bodle
1 plack = 4 pennies scots or one third of a penny sterling.
2 bodles = 1 plack
40 plack = 1 merk
1 merk = 13/4d

CORN MEASURES

1 Forpet/Lippie/Stimpart = 1.9375 pints (0.25 hectolitres).
4 Forpets = 1 Peck
4 Pecks = 1 Firlot [wheat 2214 cubic inches; barley 3232 cubic inches].
4 Firlots = 1 Boll
16 Bolls = 1 Chalder.
1 Boll of bear (barley) was enough to sow 0.51 hectares

WHEAT

1 English Bushel = 3P 3Fo.
10 English Bushels = 2B lF lP 2Fo.
100 English Bushels = 23B lF 3P 0Fo.
1000 English Bushels = 234B lF 2P 0Fo.

BEAR

1 English Bushel = 2P 3Fo.
10 English Bushels = lB 2F 3P 2Fo.
100 English Bushels = 17B 0F 3P 0Fo.
1000 English Bushels = 171B 3F 2P 0Fo.

[Based on the Linlithgow Firlot and the Winchester Bushel].

LIQUID MEASURES

1 Chopin = ½ Scottish pint
1 Scottish pint = 3 Imperial pints
1 Mutchkin = 1 Imperial pint
1 Scottish Flagon (1789) contained 26200 English Troy Grains of water.

ALE MEASURES [Based on the Stirling Jug, or Scots pint, 1618].

1 English gallon = 2 pints 3 mutchkin
10 English gallons = 3 gallons 3 pints 2 mutchkin
100 English gallons = 34 gallons 3 pints 0 mutchkin
1000 English gallons = 343 gallons 6 pints 0 mutchkin.

[English gallon - 282. cubic inches].

WINE MEASURES [not unique to Scotland]

4 pints =1 pottle 8 pints =1 gallon
42 gallons =1 tierce 63 gallons =1 hogshead
84 gallons =1 puncheon 2 hogsheads =1 pipe or butt
2 pipes =1 tun or 252 gallons.
[Old ‘wine gallon’ - 231 cubic inches.]

BEER & ALE MEASURES [not unique to Scotland]

4 pints =1 pottle 8 pints =1 gallon
9 gallons =1 firkin 2 firkins = 1 kilderkin
2 kilderkins =1 barrel l½ barrels = 1 hogshead
[A firkin of ale contains 8 gallons.]

OIL

Sweet Oil - 236 gallons =1 tun Greenland Oil - 352 gallons =1 tun.

LAND MEASURE

1 Elne or ell = 37 inches scots. l8½ feet =1 fall
40 falls = 1 quarter or rood. 4 roods = 1 acre

1 Scottish acre = 1acre 1 rood 3 1/6 perch
10 Scottish acres = 12 acres 2 roods 31 ¾ perch
1000 Scottish acres = 1269 acres 3 roods 14 2/3 perch.

1 Oxgang = 12-15 acres: as much as can be ploughed by one ox.
1 Davoch = A considerable tract of land: a small district, including several oxgangs.
1 Ploughland = 8 oxgangs varied between 5 acres and 62 acres.

DISTANCE

1 Scottish mile = 1984 yards [1.814km]
1 English mile = 1760 yards

WEIGHT

Smaller weights

16 drops = 1 ounce
16 ounces = 1 pound
16 pounds = 1 stone

Larger weights. – Based upon the Lanark stone.

English/Scottish

1 pound = 14ounces 12 drops
10 pounds = 9 pounds 3 ounces 8 drops
112 pounds = 103 pounds 4 ounces
2 cwt = 12 stones 14 pounds 8 ounces
10 cwt = 64 stones 8 pounds 8 ounces
1 tun = 129stones 1 pound

PAPER SIZES

[Not unique to Scotland] [1” - 2.4cm]

Writing Papers

Pott 12½” x 15”
Double Pott 15” x 25”
Foolscap 13¼” x 16”
Double Foolscap 16½” x 26”
Pinched Post 14½” x 18”
Post 15¼” x 19”
Double Post 19” x 30½”
Large Post 16½” x 20¾”
Double Large Post 20¾” x 33”
Copy l6¼” x 20”
Medium 18” x 22½”

Printing Papers

Crown 16¼” x 21”
Demy 17¾” x22½”
Medium 18¼” x 23”
Royal 20” x 25”
Super Royal 21” x 27”
Double Pott 15” x 25”
Double Foolscap 17” x 27”
Double Crown 20” x 30”
Double Demy 22½” x 35½”

A post = 100 sheets of hand made paper.
1 quire = 24 sheets 20 quires = 1 short ream (480 sheets).
1 long ream = 500 sheets 1 Printer’s or perfect ream = 516 sheets.

CALENDAR

Between the 12th & 14th centuries the Catholic Church in Europe gradually changed the beginning of the Civil or Legal year from December 25 to the Feast of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin (Lady Day) on March 25.

January 1 was adopted as the first day of the year in Scotland in 1600.

The Julian Calendar, which was adopted by Christian Europe between the 6th & 9th centuries A.D., was slightly inaccurate so that by 1582 the equinox fell on March 11 instead of the original correct date of March 21.

PopeGregory ordained two changes to correct the calendar:

• of the end century years only the fourth should be a leap year. ie 1600, 2000, 2400 etc.;
• in 1582, October 5 should be called October 15, omitting 10 days.

This Gregorian Calendar was eventually adopted by Great Britain & her Dominions (including the American colonies) in 1752 by the omission of 11 days (September 3 being reckoned as September 14).

Until 1752 the Scots and the English, though they had different New Year’s Days after 1600, were both ten, (or after 1700, eleven), days behind the continental Gregorian Calendar. In their own countries the Scots & English used the Old Style (O.S) Julian Calendar, and their sailors usually did so. However, their armies and diplomats on the continent usually used the New Style (N.S); sometimes it is impossible to be certain which style is being used and mistakes can be easily made.

GLASS

A Cradle - A measurement for sheet glass in Scotland c. 1620, when it was priced at £12 scots the cradle.