In a message dated 23/01/2007 20:23:20 GMT Standard Time, neil@clueful.co.uk writes: Gunter's chain is a name I have never heard of. __________________________________________________________________ The Gunter's chain was used in the measuring of America. The twenty -two yard chain of the seventeenth century British genius Edmund Gunter has imprinted its dimensions on every parcel of land in the United States A statute acre is divided into 10 sq. chains, or 100,000 sq. links. Statutory values were enacted in England by acts of Edward I., Edward III, Henry VIII and George IV., and the Weights and Measures Act 1878 now defines it as containing 4840 sq. yds. In addition to this “statute " or " imperial acre," other " acres " are still, though rarely, used in Scotland, Ireland, Wales and certain English counties. The Scottish acre contains 6150-4 sq. yds.: the Irish acre is 7840 sq. yds.; in Wales, the land measures erw (4320 sq. yds.), slang (3240 sq. yds.) and paladr are called " acres "; the Leicestershire acre (23085 sq. yds.), Westmorland acre (6760 sq. yds.) and Cheshire acre (10,240 sq. yds.) are examples of local values Regards Stan Mapstone