Gunter’s Chain.

Ever wondered about Chains, Links, Yards, Furlongs, Miles, Acres, Roods and Perches?

Before metrication was introduced into Australia during the 1970s, distance on parish plans was shown in chains and links while area was in acres, roods and perches.

Gunter’s chain was used for measuring distance in surveying. It was designed and introduced in 1620 by English clergyman and mathematician Edmund Gunter (1581–1626).

Gunter developed the measuring chain of 100 links. The chain and the link became statutory measures in England and subsequently the British Empire.

This 66-foot-long brass Gunter’s Chain is from the forestry museum at Beechworth.

It is divided into 100 links (each 7.92 inches long) and marked off into groups of 10 by shaped tags which simplify intermediate measurement.

The chain was a precision part of a surveyor’s and foresters’ equipment. It required frequent calibration yet needed to be sturdy enough to be dragged through rough terrain for years. It has brass hand grips at each end of chain.

It is heavy but flexible enough to be dragged through the bush on surveying transects. (Hence the common forestry term – chainman).

• 1 chain = 100 links = 22 yards = 66 feet = 792 inches.
• 10 chains = furlong.
• 80 chains = 1 mile.
• 1 acre = 10 square chains = 4 roods (1/4 acre each) = 40 perches.

After metrication, units of length were thankfully measured in meters and area in hectares.

The chain was later superseded by flexible steel ribbon tape.

https://victoriancollections.net.au/items/65e6e1de1161e6234932dca2